For biotechnologies to succeed in real-world conservation, we must go beyond technical feasibility and ask: what do people and organizations value? How do we design value-aligned strategies that build alliances and bridge differences?
The AVI (Articulating Values & Interests) is a structured method for uncovering the values of individuals and teams, providing insight into the motivations and guiding principles that shape how diverse stakeholders engage with emerging technologies. It offers a grounded, systematic way to make values visible—so that scientists, community leaders, regulators, NGOs, and other stakeholders can build alignment, trust, and shared purpose before technologies are deployed.
Developed by Dr. Gunther Weil and the team at Value Mentors, the AVI builds on over thirty years of practice in values-based leadership and cross-sector facilitation. The method has been used by more than 20,000 people across organizations worldwide, guiding decision-making in settings ranging from Harvard Kennedy School to the Federal Aviation Agency. An example set of values data generated from the AVI is shown below:
Values are the invisible architecture of collaboration. They are the mental frameworks that tell us what matters most—about people, ideas, activities, and ways of living. When groups have a clear understanding of their values, they are better able to prevent conflict, build trust, and work toward shared goals. AVI makes that architecture visible—so that it can be understood, respected, and designed around.
Through a set of structured exercises, the AVI produces a set of “Top 10 Values” that highlights the top values of individuals. When aggregated, values can be measured for a team, organization, or any group of people. For example, when applied at the Global Community Bio Summit, the AVI revealed that Self-Actualization and Pioneerism/Progress were the most important values for leaders in the community biology movement.
Within our Civic Biotechnology Toolkit, the AVI is a key method in the “Listen and Understand” phase. It can provide important data about the values of key stakeholders (both individuals and organizations) that can inform the design of teams, governance structures, organizing strategies, and other forms of decision-making. Within our Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit, the AVI is a key method in the “Organize and Act” phase. It provides actionable data about the values of key stakeholders and organizations, helping us design strategies that foster alignment and collaboration in complex, multi-stakeholder contexts.
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