Part 1
• What information do I need to understand the issue? What data are available or need to be collected to analyze and define the problem? (Consider action science perspectives on espoused vs. theories in use, single and double loop learning, defensive routines, and model I vs. model II behaviors)
• What's the organizational context of the problem?
• What are the key concepts related to the issue?
• What's the systems context? What are the political, economic, social, ethical considerations or lenses?
• What are others' points of view?
• What assumptions are being made or am I making about the situation and the organizational context? What things are "taken for granted" in the organization?
• Who owns the issue?
• Who needs to be involved in conducting an analysis of the situation? What can I conclude or infer from the situational analysis of the issue?
Part b
• What does the desired future look like?
• With whom do I need to collaborate to develop alternative courses of action?
• What can I conclude from my analysis of the situation and key questions I've identified?
• What are several alternatives to address the issue?
• What are the known/likely risks of each? Unintended consequences? Trade-offs?
• What is the best course of action?
Part c
• Which key concepts are relevant to the problem situation?
• Which research studies and literature are relevant and applicable to the problem situation?
• How do I summarize, compare, synthesize, or evaluate existing research and literature?
• What can I infer or conclude about the issue from the literature?
• What can I conclude from my evaluation of existing research?
Part d
• What's the research plan (research design)?
• What is the tentative timeline for implementation? How long will it take for the intervention or actions to demonstrate an effect?
• How can the research plan be justified? What is the intended outcome(s) or goal(s)?
• What support from organizational leadership is needed to implement the plan or decision?
• Is the research planning collaborative? Is it inclusive? Are multiple perspectives considered?
• Who is involved in the study? (Who are the participants? What are the accountabilities?)
• What data are needed to accurately describe the status quo (baseline data)?
• In addition to my reflective journal, what types of data/evidence should be collected during implementation to determine whether the plan had an effect?
• Have I identified multiple sources of data so that triangulation can take place?
• How will the implementation of the study (process) be continuously monitored and documented?
• What are the criteria for success? What are the metrics? How will we know if the change resulted in improvement?
• How does the plan address issues of validity and reliability, or credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability?
• Is a change management process needed?
• How will the plan be communicated?
• Does the plan adhere to the highest ethical and scholarly standards? Have I addressed any legal concerns and social responsibilities in designing the research plan?
Part e
• How are data (including process implementation data) being continuously collected, recorded, and analyzed during implementation?
• Am I collecting and analyzing data according to the research plan?
• Am I documenting the research process and monitoring the implementation?
• Am I documenting any departures from the original design plan?
• Am I maintaining my researcher's journal?
• How do I interpret the information/data? What can I infer?
Part f
• Are the data being analyzed and evaluated according to the action plan? How do I know when analysis is complete?
• Have I evaluated the documentation of the implementation process?
• What does the analysis of the data reveal? Have the results of the data analysis been evaluated against criteria for success?
• Have I referenced my journal for information and data that confirm or disconfirm other data I collected, or fill in gaps that have not been documented elsewhere?
• Have plans to ensure the validity, reliability, credibility, and dependability of results been implemented?
• What can I conclude from the information/data analysis? Are my conclusions based on solely on the evidence?
Part g
• What recommendations for actions, related to specific research questions, should be addressed?
• Who is responsible for those actions?
• Who needs to be consulted, informed, or approached for permission for the implementation of future actions?
• Who will monitor or collect future data?
• Has a timeline for implementing the actions been developed?
• Do arrangements need to be made for any additional resources?
Part h
• How will I help others understand the results?
• What type of report is appropriate for the purpose and audience?
• Have I provided clear context and description of the problem and implementation?
• Have I described the data collected, how it was analyzed, and the results of the analysis?
• Have I supported my conclusions with evidence?
• Have I explained the implications of my conclusions?
• What is the significance of the study?
Part i
• What are the consequences of my conclusions, positive and negative?
• Dialogue about the findings:
o How can the findings be interpreted?
o What unexpected elements or outcomes were identified?
o Would a different action or intervention have better results?
o What ideas have emerged from a collaborative discussion about the findings?
• What can be concluded about what needs to happen next?
• Based on the Reflection Stage (individually and collaboratively) what are the implications for next steps?
• How does the next action reflect the previous learning?