To support the effectiveness of afterschool programs in fostering skills youth need to succeed in school and life, a growing number of cities have invested in afterschool systems to coordinate disparate programs and funding streams. A primary function of most afterschool systems is to develop and maintain a data system to collect, analyze, and apply data to accomplish its goals. In "Connecting the Dots: Data Use in Afterschool Systems," Chapin Hall captures preliminary findings from a research study about data use in the afterschool systems of nine cities that are participating in the Next Generation Afterschool System-Building Initiative. Building the capacity to collect and use data to inform their system-building activities required investments in three aspects of a data system--people, processes, and technology. "Connecting the Dots" highlights common strategies for using data, contextual factors that affect data use, and how those working with data systems use data to improve afterschool program quality, access, and systems. Interview Guide (Phase 1) is appended. (A bibliography is included.) [For the brief to this report, "Connecting the Dots: Data Use in Afterschool Systems. Research Brief," see ED574430.]