This site is pretty busy

This website is, let's be frank, pretty crowded - or 'busy', as they say in design parlance.

But - as we have suggested in the Preamble (HERE) that's because this is a big subject; it covers a huge territory; and different folk may only want or need to get to the subjects, and to the level of engagement, that is right for them. You are busy too. Designing and re-designing this site, to make it comprehensive but not TOO labyrinthine, has been quite a challenge.

In an earlier video (HERE), the founder and editor, Robin Johnson introduced the site and its features, its underlying ambitions ( see also : Ambition and modesty, HERE). Robin's video also outlines the benefits we hope to offer, of becoming an active member.

But then 2020 happened. During the COVID era restrictions - many of these functions were inoperative, and so we were instead concentrating all efforts on developing the PIEs self assessment software, the PIE Abacus.

But now we are back in the saddle.  For some of our immediate activity plans, see the Forums page: HERE

For past developments, and as an indication of further activities that we wish to return to, you might see News and Events; or the Newsletters. See also: the Future Developments pages for more technical developments; and for a very suitable metaphor: HERE)

A community of practice, on-line

Not one but three 'Big Ideas' motivate the development of this site.

  • The first, of course, is the very idea of a PIE - a psychologically informed environment.
  • The second is the prospect of using the web, as a communication channel, with video, webinars, and a full searchable Library.
  • The third is the ambition of then creating an on-line community of practice, and so to help both to transcend distance; and to ‘close the loop’ between research, policy, and practice.

The video below gives a 'rough and ready' introduction to the site - with a little de-bunking of any suggestion that this website is a polished, hi-tech operation. For more on how we mean to use this website to help support a community of practice around PIEs, take a look at the page on the Community of Practice (coming soon!)

For a quick introduction to the idea of a PIE, have a look at the page called "What's the Big Idea?"; watch the “Handy Guide”; and have a browse through the Questions page.

(For a more extensive discussion of where the PIE idea is currently going, see "Is the PIE evolving?")

 

 

The history of the website project

The original PIELink site - www.pielink.ning.com - was developed as an experiment by RJA consultancy of Nottingham. This new site has been developed, building upon that foundation, with the generous support of a range of agencies, as listed in the "Partnerships" section.

In particular we would like to thank Jamie Baker of DarkWhite, whose technical skills and un-failing good humour have been a mainstay for some years now.

The next stage, to take this project to a fully sustainable basis, is the adoption of a formal legal status as a community interest company, to own and direct the development of the website and to continue to support the community it enables.

This "incorporation" (ie: as a company) is a necessary stage before seeking financial support and investment to enable us to mature as a social enterprise with an agreed business plan.

Future developments will include the development of an on-going partnership as an e-publishing venture with health and learning at its heart; the issues of shares to a grouping of relevant agencies in the sector; and the creation of an Editorial Board, as an off-shoot of the shareholder collective, to advise on overall direction of the PIE idea and the website content, to ensure the continuing relevance and growth of both.

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