Systems Change Science

Introductory Paragraph

The primary purpose of this article is to demystify systems change science. Anyone working to change social norms is, by definition, aspiring to change a variety of systems which support outlooks resistant or barriers to innovative solutions. Anyone involved in working across the continuum of care or doing multi-sectoral work is, by definition, breaking down silos (See the SAFE Solution article titled, “Activate Your Community.”) Systems change science simply highlights the most effective ways to make those changes happen.

The secondary purpose of this article is to introduce the relationships between the themes covered in greater detail in the other articles in this collection of article on system-building. For example, all of the articles of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) incorporate data, whether it is in needs assessment, prioritization of implementation choices during planning, or in evaluating outcomes. Likewise, the process of advocacy (see “Advocate for Policy Change”) is dependent not only upon data but upon the effective communication of measurable outcomes (See “Build Education and Raise Awareness”).