This document discusses using positive investigations to understand what works well. It provides context on Laing O'Rourke's work activities and focuses on understanding success rather than failures. The document outlines a simple model using 4 questions to engage with people after a task is completed to identify what made the work successful and how to do more of it. An example is provided of a positive investigation done after a tree removal task to understand what contributed to it going well. The overall aim is to improve culture, productivity, quality and relationships by learning from successful work experiences.

1. UNDERSTANDING WHAT WORKS
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POSITIVE INVESTIGATIONS

2. CONTEXT
• SETTING THE SCENE
• LAING O’ROURKE WORK ACTIVITY
• UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS GO RIGHT
• DO MORE OF WHAT WORKS
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3. PART 1 – SETTINING THE SCENE
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4. PART 1 – TERMS OF REFERENCE
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LEADERSHIP
COMMUNICATION
ORGANISATIONAL GOALS AND VALUES
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
RESPONSIBILITY
LEARNING
TRUST IN PEOPLE + SYSTEMS
RESILIENCE
ENGAGEMENT

5. PART 1 – 99.9% OF WORK, GOES RIGHT
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Unexpected
Innovation
Incident
Defect
Fail Task
POSITIVE
SUPRISES
UNWANTED OUTCOMES
THINGS
WENT WELL
EXCELLENCE
INNOVATION EARLY
COMPLETION
THINGS
THAT ARE DIFFICULT
BUT GO RIGHT
PLANNED OUTCOMES
LITTLE OR NO TIME IS SPENT ON
UNDERSTANDING WHY THIS WORKED

6. PART 2 – UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS GO RIGHT
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Aims for the group:
– Focus on work done well, rather than failures.
– Focus on the work as it’s done, understand what
causes success and do more of it.
– Focus on improving culture rather than making
systems more complex.
– Engage with people, learn from them and bring
them on the journey.

7. A SIMPLE EXAMPLE
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Within your tables, your task is
to work together to build the
tallest structure using a deck of
cards.
BUT THERE’S A CATCH!
You can only use your
non-dominant hand and you
have three minutes to build your
structure.

8. HOW DID YOU GO?
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Consider the following questions:
– What was the goal your group tried to achieve?
– What outcome did your group achieve?
– What did your group do that helped achieve the goal?
– What did your group do that made the goal harder to achieve?
– What would your group sustain or improve to achieve this goal?

9. POSITIVE INVESTIGATION MODEL - BACKGROUND
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Consider the following questions:
– The questions are based on the After Action Review which has been developed
by the US Military and has since been implemented by
high-reliability industries (nuclear, oil and gas)
– A simple 4 question discussion with project staff, work crews or members of the
supply chain to identify how to understand what makes work successful
– If done well these have proven to increase safety, productivity, quality, innovation
and team relationships

10. POSITIVE INVESTIGATION MODEL - BACKGROUND
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11. EXAMPLE – TREE REMOVAL
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12. EXAMPLE: POSITIVE INVESTIGATION – TREE REMOVAL
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13. PART 2 – OUR MISSION
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– Select an event or task that has recently
happened (ideally within the last 1-2 weeks)
– Scalable 30-60 minute whiteboard session

14. POSITIVE INVESTIGATION GUIDE
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15. UNPACKING THE PROCESS
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What are the benefits of positive investigations?

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