  The paper discusses the role of interpretations, understood as multifunctions
that preserve and reflect logical consequence, as refinement witnesses in the
general setting of pi-institutions. This leads to a smooth generalization of
the refinement-by-interpretation approach, recently introduced by the authors
in more specific contexts. As a second, yet related contribution a basis is
provided to build up a refinement calculus of structured specifications in and
across arbitrary pi-institutions.
