A ‘street language’ version of PIE 2 and the Pizazz

In services’ attempts to develop as PIEs, there is a growing interest in involving service users and their lived experience, both in assessing where these services are at, and in planning for the future.

There is also a growing agreement that the range of the PIEs 2 framework, being broad in scope and yet also quite fine-tuned to PIEs practice as it evolves, is well suited not just to development of services, but to explaining the underlying thinking to those still new to it.

But the actual language of PIEs 2 is still largely the vocabulary of services, managers and commissioners, and other professionals, rather than that of service users (and also of many frontline staff).

Since this is the language currently used in the Pizazz self assessment and service development process -  both in its ‘pen and paper’ version and in the new PIE Abacus software – this may well restrict the potential to have service user in-put into services’ assessment and development, unless it is addressed.

If we are to involve service users – and also a wider range of frontline staff and others such as volunteers, or other non-professional community groups – we may need to find a translation of these ideas into plain English – or ‘street language’.

Fortunately, the PIE Abacus software is quite easily adapted to variations in the terminology, without that requiring any deeper changes in the internal structures of the process. It is quite possible to craft a parallel PIE Abacus that is aligned in all significant respects with the original, and its more professional language.

The ‘stacking’ feature in the software then will allow us to place, on screen, the  user-language accounts directly alongside those of staff and others, for contrast and comparison. (This juxtaposition is probably itself helpful, as the message is clearly conveyed, visually.)

NB: It would equally be possible to establish a third or fourth model, with the same compatible framework but perhaps somewhat adjusted language, to distinguish the views of users from those of volunteers, or from any other interested parties. For assessment and planning internally, within any service, this may be not suitable; but for wider networks, and especially for ‘whole systems’ mapping, this might be quite valuable.

Here, for example (HERE) , we include a very early draft, intended for sharing and collaboration.

This should not be seen as a template; it has no claim to any prior or greater status than any others version. But it does get the ball rolling.

 

Further links and reading

A 'street language' for the Pizazz HERE

PIEs, PIE assessment and the Pizazz and/or PIE Abacus in ‘street language’ HERE

PIE 1,2 &3  HERE

The PIE Abacus and service user PIEs assessments HERE

 PIEs 2 – and beyond?  HERE

A lived experience view of PIEs HERE

“How’s things?” – the Coffee break Pizazz HERE

The democracy of pidgin HERE

‘Making meaning; the art of common language construction’ HERE