Applied improvisation is now widely used by organizations large and small — in education, healthcare, and communities. But what is it and how did it start?

Put simply, as improvisation grew as a performance art, students and teachers began to see the value of improv training beyond the stage. In the 1990s and early 2000s, pioneering facilitators began intentionally applying improvisation in organizations struggling with how to be more collaborative, creative and connected.

Kat Koppett published her seminal book on the subject, Training to Imagine, in 2001. A year later, The Applied Improvisation Network, which now has hundreds of global members, was officially founded.

In more recent years, more rigorous academic research into the efficacy of applied improv approaches has grown. From corporate leadership to UX design, from medical schools to sales, applied improv is no longer avant garde, it is foundational for anyone seeking more human, collaborative and adaptive ways of working.