We refer to the online, digital version of the Pizazz as the PIEAbacus, because it uses software that was originally designed to help schools in the UK preparing for an inspection by OFSTED – the UK government’s external regulator of schools’ performance; and this schools software is called the iAbacus.

This software platform has now been adapted to suit the nature of PIEs, which do not have any external assessment body, nor any pre-ordained criteria, as schools inspections have. The principal changes have therefore been in the language used, the areas to focus on, and the measures of success; but also in the introduction of peer review as the final stage, replacing external assessment.

(For the process of adaptation work that the PIEs working party pursued, to develop first PIEs 2.0 and then the Pizazz format, see: PIEs 2.0 - the development process.)

Accreditation

For those wishing to have their services inspected and externally, officially assessed, we tend to recommend the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists''Enabling Environments' accreditation, as the closest comparable external assessment approach : HERE.

Particular sectors may, however, have their own sector-specific assessment frameworks and bodies, in which case any two such approaches may hopefully complement each other.