Exploring the alignment between the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change implementation strategies and Stages of Implementation Completion® stages

Background Implementation is an iterative, multistage process that requires selecting and applying strategies over time. The Universal Stages of Implementation Completion® (U-SIC) organizes implementation activities across sequential stages, whereas the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) provides a taxonomy of discrete implementation strategies. U-SIC identifies activities within implementation stages, while ERIC offers strategies that could support those activities. Mapping their alignment could help connect strategy selection with stage-specific implementation needs. Objectives Using the U-SIC as the organizing structure, we mapped ERIC strategies onto U-SIC stages and activities to develop a stage-anchored crosswalk for implementation planning. Methods We compared definitions of 73 ERIC strategies with 46 U-SIC activities across eight SIC stages, considering conceptual overlap in purpose, timing, and implementation function. Two coders independently mapped and reviewed all strategies, followed by cross-coder comparison, expert review, and consensus refinement. Descriptive statistics summarized alignment. Results Thirty-three of the 73 ERIC strategies (45%) aligned with at least one U-SIC activity, collectively covering 44 of 46 U-SIC activities (96%). Stage 3, Readiness Planning, contained 14 distinct aligned ERIC strategies, the largest number across U-SIC stages. Forty ERIC strategies (55%) did not align, often because they represented broader system- or policy-level approaches beyond the U-SIC's primarily site-focused scope. Conclusions The resulting crosswalk organizes candidate ERIC strategies by U-SIC stage and activity, providing a resource for linking strategy selection with implementation processes. The mappings indicate conceptual alignment rather than strategy effectiveness or optimal timing and should be applied with consideration of local context, resources, and implementation needs.