Action Research (AR) Cycle Guiding Questions

1. Action Research (AR) CycleGuiding Questions Presented to WROE Participants Module 3 Phoenix, AZ October 23-25, 2007 Jacques Nacson jnacson@nea.org 202-822-7399

2. The Action Research Cycle:Three Essential Features • Reliance on evidence as the basis for moving forward • A collaborative culture to support the process • The process is iterative with feedback loops at every level and at end of the cycle

3. Desired State --Organizational Goal • Agreement on measures, values and standards? • Shared understanding and commitment among key people? • Consistent with the organizational values • Realistic and attainable?

4. Current Reality – Organizational Performance • Agreement on the measures used? • Validity and Reliability of the data? • Primary or secondary source? • Other data to support current reality? • Consensus or agreement with current reality?

5. GAP – The Difference Between Desired State and Current Reality • Real or due to normal fluctuations/noise in system? • Agreement that gap is important/serious enough to warrant action? • Is the gap within the organization’s sphere of influence? • Political implications?

6. Collecting and Analyzing Data • Supporting data available to inform the issue? • Additional data needed to identify potential root causes? • Networking with and learning from those directly and indirectly involved (brainstorming)? • Sharing information, hypotheses and seeking feedback?

7. Initial Definition of Problem/Opportunity • Initial statement of the problem or opportunity to be embraced? • Structured feedback from key players? • Analysis of organizational resources and capabilities to address issue? • Additional data and analyses, as needed based on feedback and organizational assessments?

8. Refinement of the Problem/Opportunity • Clear and unambiguous reformulation of the statement of problem/opportunity? • Explicit working hypotheses (if…then…statements) and assumptions? • Workable consensus and commitments among key players? • Purpose and goals perceived as fair, important and attainable?

9. Planning Concrete Steps: Selecting the Intervention • Considered alternative interventions? • Evidence of success? • Feedback from key people? • Analyses of organizational capabilities and resources for different interventions? • Application of diagnostic models (e.g., Bolman & Deal) • Workable consensus among key people?

10. Planning Concrete Steps:Planning the Intervention • Defined the work (work breakdown structure)? • Are tasks feasible given timeline and resources? • Task contingencies defined? • Authority and responsibilities delegated? • Clear management structure? • Process and outcome evaluation plans detailed?

11. Implementation(and Ongoing Process Evaluation) • Collecting data about ongoing implementation progress? • Making corrective actions based on process evaluation data? • Sharing implementation tracking data with key people? • Confident that implementation issues are not hidden or swept under? • Documenting and sharing learnings and insights

12. Outcome Evaluation • Collecting, analyzing and displaying correctly outcome data as evidence of improvement? • Documenting and sharing outcome findings and process implementation findings with key people? • Drawing correct conclusions and making sound recommendations for follow up? • Applying knowledge and experience to next AR round?

13. Repeat the AR Cycle