Systems science methods in dissemination and implementation research

As we have seen, numerous analysis and modeling tools that take into account the natural complexity of systems and dissemination and implementation processes are available, and the use of them is increasing over time. This chapter summarizes the characteristics, potential insights, and limitations of each modeling approach. It is important to note that modeling from a systems perspective, like all modeling approaches, requires assumptions about variables to include (or exclude), and hypothesized relationships dictate the quality of the model and the utility of the results. As such, using theory and empirical data to inform model design is paramount. Systems thinking and methods remain underutilized in dissemination and implementation despite demonstrations of the utility of incorporating systems thinking and methods into dissemination and implementation studies.