Peter Jarvis calls it "Practioner-research." Lots of other people call it "action research." Whatever you call it, it amounts to a very practical tool for bringing illumination to the dark corners of complacency. Up to now I have only heard or read about action research in the context of English second or foreign language education. Jarvis talks about using it in more general sense, as a way of examining any field of endeavor.

"Genuine understanding of any field can only be developed through practice in that field." Extraordinarily empowering quote from the dust cover of the book.