Commentary On “Leveraging group model building to operationalize implementation strategies across implementation phases: an exemplar related to child maltreatment intervention selection”

Understanding how to effectively engage relevant implementation partners to design or operationalize implementation strategies that address implementation determinants is an area of need, particularly for interventions designed to take place in complex and dynamic systems. The study by Cruden et. al describes the promise of group model building (GMB) as a structured, transparent, and participatory method for operationalizing implementation strategies such as conducting local consensus discussions or building a coalition. Authors describe GMB as a process that combines qualitative and/or quantitative modeling with semi-structured group activities and detail how GMB can leverage systems thinking, participatory or engaged research, and decision science theories and frameworks to select, tailor, or operationalize implementation strategies across seven key dimensions (i.e., actors, actions, action targets, dose, temporality, implementation outcomes, and justification).

In addition to providing an overview of GMB methodology, the authors also describe the application of the GMB methodology in a pilot case study that aimed to support decisions regarding child maltreatment prevention evidence-based practice (EBP) adoption. In this example, authors hypothesized that GMB would improve appropriateness and acceptability of the adopted EBP and provide an efficient method for implementation partners to narrow EBP options. The results of the pilot indicated that GMB was acceptable and fostered trust and idea sharing among implementation partners. More broadly, the authors suggest GMB and systems science methods are well-suited to support implementation strategy and intervention selection, and argue that engaged participatory methods such as GMB can foster strong partnerships among implementation partners that may be more likely to achieve intended impacts. I would agree with the authors that GMB is a promising method that should be beyond operationalizing implementation strategies and would argue that integrating community-engaged and participatory methods, such as through a structured GMB process, will result in more robust context-specific implementation strategies that are more likely to result in sustainable changes tailored to a specific community context. 

References:

Cruden, G., Powell, B. J., Frerichs, L., Lanier, P., Brown, C. H., Saldana, L., & Lich, K. H. (2024). Leveraging group model building to operationalize implementation strategies across implementation phases: an exemplar related to child maltreatment intervention selection. Implement Sci Commun, 5(1), 134. doi:10.1186/s43058-024-00660-2