Implementation science is about bridging the gap between what we "know" and what we "do". Implementation is an active process that ensures policies and programs can be put in place under real world conditions. Implementation science is about ’making it happen’ rather than ‘hoping it happens’ and helps accelerate the uptake of policies and programs.
The field of implementation science was born from the understanding that on their own, production and dissemination of evidence are not enough to enable policy and practice transformation. This discipline, now entering its third decade, offers evidence-backed, accessible methods and approaches that help implementers navigate system complexity. CEI is a global leader in implementation practice. We partner with frontline services to embed policies and programs ‘on the ground’ under local service system conditions. Our approach focuses on building the capacity of our partners in implementation and establishing infrastructure within services and systems to support sustainable implementation efforts.
We support our partners to learn and leverage the lessons of implementation science. We draw on the discipline in our evaluation work, which considers implementation factors alongside typical questions of reach and impact. Key themes in our implementation science work include leveraging Common Elements, co-design and adaptation for local context, and re-imagining practices, programs, and services to better meet the needs of people facing adversity.
