Practice-Based Inquiry®:
Bringing Professional Practice into FOCUS™

What are the components of Practice-Based Inquiry®?

To learn more about the components that provide the conceptual foundation of the technology of Practice-Based Inquiry click on a component of interest below:

Foundation Elements (click here) »
- Dynamic evidence
- Professional judgment
- Team-Deliberated consensus

Necessary Constraints to Promote Rigor (click here) »
- Clear Description of Purpose and Context of Inquiry
- Defined and Connected Inquiry Questions
- Appropriate Construction of What Conclusions Are
- Clear Criteria for Testing Conclusions and Report
- Intentional Visit Schedule: Design of Events and Use of Time
- Purposeful Team Composition
- Effective Plan for Visit Logistics
- Suitable Expectations for Team and Team-Institution Dynamics

Procedures to Insure Legitimacy (click here) »
- Prepare an Accredited Protocol.
- Use a Certified Chair.
- Train the Team.
- Certify that the Actual Membership of the Team Meets Team Composition    Guidelines.
- Monitor the Conduct of the Actual Visit.
- Endorse Visit Reports.
- Require Team Members to Sign a Code of Conduct.
- Clarify the Editing, Distribution and Ownership of Report.
- Provide Host Institutions with a Procedure to Challenge the Report.

The minimal standards for a Practice-Based Inquiry protocol are:

• The purpose and questions of the inquiry match the strengths and limitations of Practice-Based Inquiry well.
• The sponsoring organization has the necessary capacity to manage a visit effectively to ensure accuracy.
• The protocol employs the Foundation Elements so that they are the central elements of the inquiry process.
• The Necessary Constraints provide useful and rigorous boundaries for the inquiry.
• Procedures for Legitimacy are employed effectively to ensure legitimacy of visit findings at the level specified by the audience of the report.

The Catalpa Guide for The Preparation, Review and Accreditation of a Practice-Based Inquiry® Visit Protocol gives greater detail on all the PBI components. For information about this Guide, click here.

Catalpa offers a number of services to ensure legitimacy. Click on an area of interest to find out more:

Protocol Endorsement »
Report endorsement »
Chair certification »
Chair and team training »

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