Becoming an 'Associate' for the PIE Abacus
Hands-on support to PIEs assessment and development with the PIE Abacus
Any agency or network that wants to try the PIE Abacus can download a copy of the 'essential briefing for PIE leads': (HERE). They can then register for a free trial, for a period, to explore it for themselves.
But the other option, which we would tend to strongly recommend, is for a conversation first with one of the PIE trainers in our PIE Abacus 'Associates' group, to talk over what the agency needs, and how to get the maximum benefit, at whatever size or stage each agency or network may be at.
If you are interested in joining the 'Associates, this rather smaller group of those with particular familiarity with the PIEAbacus, these next paragraphs are for you.
Facilitating the PIE Abacus
PIElink Associates will get more in-depth mentoring and support; and will have the opportunity to have their own Abacus, at no cost, for demonstration purposes.
Instead of registering for an Abacus account, as agencies wishing to try it and use it for the own self assessments and development must do - with a minimum cost of £800 p.a. (+VAT) for a minimum of 10 Abacuses - PIE Abacus 'Associates' will be given a licence code that allows them to immediately access the Associates account, as a member of the group.
This means that, as an Associate:
- (a) you get to play with the software yourself, get familiar and comfortable with it, before taking any other agencies and teams through the process.
- b) the agencies and teams you work with are not giving you access to their commercially confidential data (unless they actually choose to), so your role here as consultant/trainer is kept at a slight distance
- (c) also they don't have to give up to you one of their minimum allocation of 10 Abacuses for an account - which reduces the 'value added' only marginally for a large agency, but perhaps significantly for a smaller one*.
See 'Weighing the costs and 'value added' for the PIE Abacus' : (HERE)
NB: Associates are all independent trainers or consultants. There is no guarantee that a briefing from an Associate will lead to on-going work with the agency for the Associate; that is something to be agreed entirely between them.
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The 'PPP' training
Currently in the final stages of completion, the PIEs, Pizazz and PIE Abacus (PPP) training covers much the same ground as the essential briefing for PIE leads : (HERE)
However, it goes into greater depth; and also, it comes with an hour of 1-1 mentoring' time.
'Associates' will be able to offer that 1-1 mentoring time. Any other more on-going relationship with the Abacus account holder, PIE lead (or whoever else) is not guaranteed.
The simplest, most effective way to evaluate and improve your PIE from Daniel O'Brien on Vimeo.PIElink pages
What are people saying about the PIE Abacus? : HERE
Getting started with an Abacus account: HERE
Use and terms of use : HERE
PIEs assessment - what is the point? : HERE
Ambition and modesty : HERE
A single framework : HERE
Costs and sustainability : HERE
Customising the PIE Abacus : HERE
Essential background for PIE leads
The PIE Abacus - essential briefing for PIE leads : HERE
Weighing the costs and the 'value added' of the PIE Abacus : HERE
For applications in particular settings, see:
The PIE Abacus – in medium to large agencies : HERE
The PIE Abacus – in local practice networks : HERE
The PIE Abacus – in smaller 'stand alone' services : HERE
The PIE Abacus – as a research tool : HERE
The PIE Abacus – in communities of practice : HERE
The PIE Abacus – in service user-led assessments : HERE
The PIE Abacus – with services using PIEs1 : HERE
All PIE Abacus FAQs : HERE
(See 'On evaluation, for further discussion, HERE)