The Research on the Improvement Process (RIP) Program of the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education has made the investigation of the change process in high schools their primary research priority for the 1980s. In this paper, the high school research endeavors of the RIP program are described, with special attention being given to the design and methodology developed for the study. The research methods included exploratory visits, selecting and negotiating for study sites, scheduling interviews with the school staff, and analyzing taped interview data. In addition, some of the "madness" encountered by the research staff while engaged in the study is related. The paper concludes with what has been learned about how to conduct research in high schools. (BW)