force field analysis case study

Force Field Analysis: The Ultimate How-to Guide

The Force Field Analysis is a tool that enables a change practitioner to visually map and analyze the driving and resisting forces behind a project or initiative.

The model portrays driving forces (those that are working in the direction of the change) and resisting and/or restraining forces (those that tend to support the status quo). These are arranged as a field of opposing forces, or as a “force field.”

In this article I’ll cover what the Force Field Analysis tool is, why you should use it, but how to use it as well as a real-life case study of where I used this exact tool on a project.

Force Field Analysis is a powerful decision-making tool widely used in organizational change management , originally developed by Kurt Lewin as a change management model in 1951. It’s used to understand problem-based, situations in social science to effect planned change.

Today, Force Field Theory is still used to understand most organizational change processes.

Known as one of the modern pioneers in social, organizational and applied psychology , Kurt Lewin, a German-American psychologist (born in Poland in 1890), was a professor at the University of Berlin between 1926 and 1932 before moving to the United States in 1933.

Lewin worked as a professor in a number of US universities before eventually becoming director of the Centre for Group Dynamics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

For more on Kurt Lewin, check out this in-depth training guide on Kurt Lewin’s Change Model .

What is Force Field Analysis

In other words, the two sets of forces will work together to keep an equilibrium or status quo.

Figure 1: Force Field Analysis – Towards a Desired State

So, if an organization strives to keep equilibrium, it will work to maintain the balance. If on the other hand, an organization wants to create change, then it needs to unbalance and disrupt the equilibrium.

Generally, this is achieved by strengthening Driving forces (one of the balancing forces) so they are stronger than the Restraining forces (the other balancing force).

What are Driving Forces?

Driving forces push to influence a situation in a particular direction. Driving forces work to support a stated goal or objective . They are usually seen as ‘positive’ forces that facilitate change. Examples of some Driving forces include:

new personnel
changing markets
new technology
competition
pressure from management

Others may include:

legislation
shareholders
public opinion

What are Restraining Forces?

Restraining forces work to block or counter progress towards a goal or objective. They tend to limit or decrease the Driving forces. Examples of Restraining forces include:

an individual’s fear of failure
organizational inertia or apathy

Changing the Equilibrium

As a change management tool , Lewin’s Force Field Analysis is used to evaluate the forces FOR (Driving forces) and AGAINST (Restraining forces) a change. Before they are evaluated, though, they need to be identified. This can be done through these types of analyses:

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)
PRIMO-F (People, Resources, Innovation , Marketing, Operations, Finance)
PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technology, Legal, Environmental)

For change to be successful (i.e. shifting the equilibrium to a new desired state), you need to:

Strengthen the Driving forces
Weaken the Restraining forces

You can represent this in a diagram. It will help you understand where an imbalance can be created in the quasi-equilibrium (current state) to effect the change.

Using the diagram, you plot the forces. Doing this helps you in your understanding of a complex environment. You can then use this visual to facilitate discussion with key decision-makers before an action plan is devised.

Figure 2: Force Field Analysis Model for Manufacturing

According to Lewin , three steps are needed to achieve change towards a vision or goal in an organizational change context. These are to:

Unfreeze – the organization has to unfreeze the Driving and Restraining forces that hold it in a state of quasi-equilibrium
Change – an imbalance is introduced to the forces so change can take place (increase the Drivers, reduce the Restraints or do both)

Why use Force Field Analysis?

A key benefit of Lewin’s Force Field Analysis is that it is really useful to help us understand:

how to move people through change
why people resist change
how we can analyze the pressures ‘for’ and ‘against’ change (the pros and cons)
how we can apply a better decision-making technique
how we can communicate go/no-go decisions

Lewin’s Force-Field Analysis has us focus on the critical components to create change. It does this by:

Analyzing the Driving and Restraining forces that affect a transition from the current state to the future state. Restraining forces may include reactions from those who see change as ‘unnecessary’ or constituting a ‘threat’
Assessing Driving and Restraining forces. Which ones are critical?
Taking steps to increase critical Driving forces and decrease critical Restraining forces

Source: Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science, Harper & Row, New York

Other benefits Force Field Analysis provide are that it helps to:

align a group on the change
galvanize the group to take action – change is often harder than first thought
develop robust plans to fully address the issues that are holding back the change
identify stakeholders (never miss a stakeholder!)
enable everyone to develop and realize a future that aims to fulfil interest or importance for relevant parties

So how does Force Field Analysis work in practice?

Case Study: 5 Steps to Fast and Dramatic Change using Force Field Analysis

Here’s a real application of this tool I used on a financial operation project:

Working on a process re-engineering project in the collections department of a bank, I’d spent five months with the team to develop an automated ‘skip’ tracing system (called ‘skips’). These are used to find debtors that no longer have contact details.

I didn’t want to leave implementation to chance. So instead, I aimed for a collaborative, well-considered implementation.

I got the stakeholders (ranging from senior managers to frontline staff) together in a room. We walked through the change using Force Field Analysis as the tool of choice to plan it.

Results speak for themselves:

And this led to … reduced “write-offs” (total of $25.02m per year) for:

the bank’s personal loan book – $9.54m per year
their credit card’s portfolio – $15.48m per year

Those results are nice but what about the change implementation?

Well, it was embraced better than I could have imagined. Here’s why I believe it worked extremely well …

What I did (and you can too):

Step 1: I kicked things off by having the frontline teamwork on the solution. By having the people impacted part of the solution, they’re more likely to be engaged and less likely to resist.

They were a part of it.

Step 2: I got the frontline team into a room and placed two pieces of butcher’s paper on the wall. One was labeled ‘Driving Forces (Aids)’ and the other was labeled ‘Restraining Forces (Barriers)’ .

Step 3: Together, we brainstormed a list for each category.

Here’s what we came up with:

Aids and Barriers Analysis

Figure 3: Aids and Barriers Analysis

Step 4: Next, we converted this analysis into a plan.

High-Level Action Plan

Step 5: Finally, we implemented the plan!

Now, it’s your turn …

How you can do a Force-Field Analysis?

Easy. In these steps:

Describe (in a few words) your issue or proposal for change
Identify the forces ‘FOR’ change
Identify the forces ‘AGAINST’ change
Rate the remaining items
Implement the plan!

Step 1. Describe your change

Get your team members and organizational subject matter experts involved to harness their expertise.

Put a sheet of butcher’s paper up on a wall. In the center of the sheet, draw a box and write in your goal or vision for the change.

Step 2. Identify the forces ‘for’ change

Now, think about the forces that are driving the change. These can be internal or external factors.

As a group, brainstorm and identify as many factors as you can. Ask these questions to help identify the forces:

What business benefits will this change deliver?
Who is ‘for’ the change? Why?
Who is ‘against’ it? Why?
Do we have the resources to make the change work?
What costs and risks are involved?
What business processes will be impacted?

List these forces driving change on the left-hand side of the box.

Step 3. Identify the forces ‘against’ change

Now, brainstorm internal and external forces that restrain or are unfavorable to the change.

A common internal example that many organizations cite is, “that’s not how we do things around here” (inflexible attitudes). Similarly, an external example may be government legislation changes.

List these Restraining forces on the right-hand side of the box. You can group similar items together to get the main theme.

Next, look at your main themes. Remove any items that you have no control over.

Step 4. Rate the remaining items

Now, the fun begins!

Rate each remaining force with say, one (lowest impact) to five (highest impact). The goal here is to determine how much influence each force has on the plan.

Add up the ‘for’ and ‘against’ scores.

This should now give you a clear picture of influence that each force has on the change. This picture should also allow you to decide to move forward with the decision or change it.

Step 5. Implement the plan!

If you are to move forward, the next step is to create an action plan. This plan needs to weaken or remove Restraining forces and strengthen Driving forces and so increasing the ‘net’ force for the change.

Some analysis may suggest changes you might like to make to the initial plan to give some flexibility. This will help to ensure its success. For example, if your project is going to introduce some new technology pivotal to business survival in the digital economy, you will need to ensure staff are on board with the change.

So, what needs to be done?

Staff need to be trained. Training incurs a ‘cost’ to the organization. Let’s say one of your main themes is ‘Costs’ and let’s say they are already at a ‘3’.

You’ll need to add ‘1’ to ‘Costs’ because your training costs are to increase.

So, ‘Costs’ = 4 (i.e. 3 + 1 = 4).

However, if your staff fear technology, then training might take longer as people learn to manage their fear as they learn new ways of doing things. Therefore, technophobia reduces overall benefits so we need to subtract ‘2’ from ‘4’. Training, however, supports the change. So, ‘Costs’ are now at ‘2’.

You will need to prioritize your action steps.

Which ones will enable you the greatest impact?

What resources will you need and how will you implement these steps?

Finally, you will need to assess your progress to determine the success of actions you have decided.

Further Reading: Lewin, K. (1951) ‘Field Theory in Social Science’, Harper and Row, New York. Maslen R. and Platts K.W. (1994) ‘Force Field Analysis: A Technique to Help SMEs Realize Their Intended Manufacturing Strategy’, in Operations Strategy and Performance, 1st European Operations Management Association Conference, University of Cambridge, June, pp. 587-588. Thomas, J. (1985) ‘‘Force Field Analysis: A New Way to Evaluate Your Strategy’, Long Range Planning, Vol. 18, No. 6, pp. 54-59.

The Ultimate Guide to Understanding the Force Field Analysis

Updated on: 5 January 2023

This guide will help you understand what a force field analysis is and how to conduct it in 6 simple steps.

You’ll find

If you are looking for a tool that will help you make business-related decisions faster and better, you will find the force field analysis useful.

Let’s get started.

What is Force Field Analysis

The force field analysis is a widely-used change management model ; it works as a diagnostic tool and a powerful decision-making tool during change planning.

You can use it to identify – by visually mapping – the driving forces and restraining forces for and against the initiative and thus work on leveraging the factors in favor while reducing the unfavorable ones to ensure the successful implementation of the change plan.

The force field analysis tool was developed as a change management model in 1951 by the German-American psychologist, Kurt Lewin who is also known for being a founder of modern psychology. Today, the tool is even widely used to inform business decision-making.

The basis of the tool

The basic idea behind the force field analysis is that a certain given situation remains the way it is because of counterbalancing forces, or because of the state of equilibrium between forces that drive change and oppose change.

In order to promote change, either the driving forces should be strengthened or the resisting forces should be weakened.

And it integrates with Lewin’s 3-stage theory of change .

When to use the tool

The force field analysis is ideally used for diagnosing a problem. You can use it to

Analyze the balance of power
Identify the key roles involved in decision-making
Identify who supports and opposes change within the organization
Explore ways to influence those who are against change
Decide whether to go ahead with a proposed change or not

How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis

The analysis is best carried out in small groups of 5 to 9 people who are directly involved in the change implementation process.

It’s important that everyone else who is also likely to be affected by the change is kept in the loop. To gain their commitment and support for the deployment of the project, they should be kept informed about and involved in planning, development and decision-making from the very beginning.

For a more productive discussion, have a force field analysis worksheet ready at the beginning of the meeting.

The worksheet can be paper-based, or you can use the following Creately template to start right away. Simply add the email addresses of the other group members to the document to give them edit/ review access. This way everyone can collaborate on populating the worksheet.

Step 1: Assess the current situation

You need to start the session by discussing the current situation of the organization in terms of the issue at hand with the key stakeholders.

This may include determining where you are at, the challenges you are facing due to the issue you are trying to solve, the reaction of the employees, etc.

It’s also important to clarify where you want to go or the desired state you want to achieve with the initiative. At the same time, consider what will take place if you fail to take action to change the current situation.

Here you can do a quick SWOT analysis to understand what strengths you can use to overcome the existing threats and see how you can work on overcoming weaknesses and take advantage of the presented opportunities.

Step 2: Define the objective

The next step is to identify the expected outcome of the change initiative. Once you have clearly defined the goal(s), write them inside the box in the middle of the template provided above.

Step 3: Identify the driving forces

Driving forces are the factors that are in favor of the proposed change or the ones that support the achievement of the defined goal.

These are considered positive and usually includes factors like advancing technology, changing industry trends, increasing competition, opinions of customers or shareholders, incentives, etc.

In this step, your task is to brainstorm as many driving forces as possible with the team and list them in the relevant field of the worksheet.

Of course, you can turn to people outside the team (interview them), people who are specialized in the subject area to find the information you need during this step.

Step 4: Identify the restraining forces

These are the factors that will block your path to achieving your goal. They tend to restrict the impact of the driving forces. For example, these may include the fear of the individuals, organizational structures and negative attitudes of employees, etc.

The list of forces that are against change should be listed on the right-hand field of the worksheet.

One thing you need to keep in mind is not to be subjective when deciding which forces to add to the force field analysis and which ones to leave out.

Step 5: Evaluate the forces

You can evaluate the influence of each force by assigning them scores.

Using a numerical scale (10 being extremely strong and 1 being extremely weak), assign each force a score based on the impact they have on the change initiative.

You can also assess the forces by focusing on the impact each of them may have. This way you can ditch assigning each force a score.

Based on the effect they have, you can decide whether the proposed change is viable. Accordingly, you can discuss how you can influence the forces in favor of change: you can weaken the restricting forces by strengthening the driving forces.

Step 6: Create an action plan

Based on how you want to go about strengthening driving forces and weakening restraining forces, you can create a quick action plan.

This can help you clarify what needs to be done, who is responsible, the resources needed, and the due dates you need to be concerned about, etc.

What’s Your Opinion?

The force field analysis is a great tool to evaluate if the proposed change is practical or not and identifying the blockers against change. Its outcome will help you identify possible solutions to remove these obstacles and effectively work on achieving your change management goals.

How do you go about decision-making and problem-solving? Do you currently use any other tool other than the force field analysis? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Using Force Field Analysis

Updated: August 4, 2024 by Ken Feldman

Some changes in your organization go smoother than others. Sometimes there is resistance to the changes which must be overcome for the change to occur. Force field analysis identifies and analyzes those forces which help drive change and those which restrain or inhibit change. Let’s learn more about those forces and how to manage them to assure your organization can implement needed change without disruption and delays.

Overview: What is a force field analysis?

In simple terms, force field analysis is a framework for understanding the factors which can influence and impact a potential change. This change can be associated with an individual, organizational, or improvement project. For change to happen, the driving (helping) forces must be strengthened, or the resisting (hindering) forces weakened.

The model was originally developed by social psychologist Kurt Lewin , who described the individual change process as a balance between two types of forces – those that are driving movement toward a goal (helping forces) or are blocking movement toward a goal (hindering forces). His theory was expanded by John R. P. French who applied it to organizational and industrial settings.

Here are the steps for completing a force field analysis:

1. describe and clarify the proposed change and write it in a box in the center of the page., 2. brainstorm and identify the driving or helping forces for change..

These may include such internal or external things such as:

Outdated machinery or product lines.
Declining organizational morale
A need to increase profitability
Uncertain operating environment
Engaged organizational leadership
Changing demographic and competitive trends

3. Brainstorm and identify the blocking (resisting or hindering) forces to change.

These may include such things as:

Fear of the unknown
Existing organizational structures
An attitude of That’s not how we do things around here
Current commitments to other organizations
Government regulations
Existing customer obligations
Uncommitted or uninvolved leadership
Too busy to do it
Negative outcomes from prior attempts at change
No champion for the change

4. Score and weight each factor.

You can score each factor from one (weak) to five (strong), based on the degree of influence each one has on the change. Add the scores up for the driving and resisting forces. For a simple visual presentation, you can use the length of arrows to show the relative strength of each factor. The figure below is an example of what your force field analysis might look like at this point.

Example of force field analysis

5. Analyze and implement your action plan for change.

Decide which of the forces have some flexibility for change or which can be influenced. Create a strategy to strengthen the driving forces or weaken the restraining forces, or both. If you’ve rated each force, how can you raise the scores of the driving forces or reduce the scores of the restraining forces, or do both?

What action steps can you take that will achieve the greatest impact? Identify the resources you will need and decide how to implement the action steps. Sometimes it’s easier to reduce the impact of restraining forces than to strengthen driving forces.

3 benefits of a force field analysis

Here are a few of the benefits of using a force field analysis to improve your probability of a successful change in your organization.

1. Reduces barriers to change

Understanding the forces driving or hindering your desired change can help identify what forces are preventing forward movement and what is needed to overcome those barriers.

2. Creates effective communication

Attitudes and mindsets are common restraining forces in many organizations. Having an open and honest discussion of why certain things are considered restraining forces, will help your management understand the nature of those emotions and help create more effective communication of the proposed changes.

3. Reduces resistance to change

Employee resistance is a common obstacle to change, and often appears as one of the restraining forces in a force field analysis. Understanding the reasons for that resistance can help you develop appropriate strategies for reducing it.

Why is a force field analysis important to understand?

Understanding the importance and purpose of a force field analysis will help you utilize this powerful tool to optimize your implementation of change in your organization.

The existence of specific forces which will help or hinder change

Organizations are often aware of the negatives which may impact a desired change. But there are also positives which will help facilitate and drive your change. These must be identified and used.

Provide insight into why people may resist your change

While resistance to change is a well-known factor impacting any change process, you need to understand what the underlying reasons for this resistance are.

Flexibility of the force field analysis

This tool can be used to assess a macro change affecting a group of people as well as at the individual level.

An industry example of a force field analysis

As a result of some marketing research, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing formed a Six Sigma improvement team to explore changing the sales process to reduce the time sales-people spend with their customers. Before implementing the recommendations, the team’s Black Belt suggested they do a force field analysis to better understand the possible barriers to a successful implementation of the changes. Below is their analysis.

As you can see, the value of the restraining forces is greater than the driving forces. This change will fail unless the driving forces are strengthened and/or the restraining forces are weakened.

3 best practices when thinking about a force field analysis

Doing a force field analysis is a relatively straightforward process. Use the following tips to help you keep things simple yet constructive.

1. Formalized brainstorming

Conduct formal, structured brainstorming to identify the driving and restraining forces which will impact how well your desired change will work.

2. Be realistic

When analyzing your driving and restraining forces, be realistic as to your options for strengthening your driving forces while weakening your restraining forces.

3. Do your force field analysis early in the Improve phase of DMAIC

Developing your force field analysis, possibly along with an FMEA , will let you mitigate resistance prior to implementation of your proposed changes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about a force field analysis

What are the components of a force field analysis.

According to Lewin, there are four components of force field analysis: driving forces, restraining forces, forces for change, and the forces resisting change.

When would you use a force field analysis?

Force field analysis is used to identify which factors, when attempting to make a change, drive a person or organization towards or away from a desired state. It is also used to identify the forces which cause people or the organization to resist or restrain the desired change.

How would you describe how to do a force field analysis in simple terms?

Describe the desired change project or desired state
Identify driving or helping forces
Identify restraining or hindering forces
Analyze the two opposite types of forces
Develop actions to strengthen driving forces while weakening hindering forces

Quick review of a force field analysis

Force field analysis, as developed by Kurt Lewin, helps you consider the forces for and against a decision or a change.

To do a force field analysis, you first need to describe and clarify your proposed change. You can write that in a box in the center of your form. Then, list all of the driving forces for change in a column on the left-side, and all of the restraining or blocking forces against change in a column on the right-side.

Develop a scoring scheme for each factor, and add up the scores for each column. You can then decide whether you want to move forward with the change or to change the balance of your forces to get a positive outcome for your desired change. You can use your analysis to develop a strategy and action plan so you can strengthen the forces that support the change and weaken the forces opposing it.

About the Author

Ken Feldman

Identifying Root Causes
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Force Field Analysis for Problem Solving and Decision Making

Learn all about Force Field Analysis, a problem solving and decision making technique, and how to use it to make informed decisions.

Force Field Analysis for Problem Solving and Decision Making

Force field analysis is a powerful tool for problem solving and decision making, enabling individuals and organizations to make informed choices. By providing a structured approach to identifying the forces that are driving or preventing change, it can help you to identify the levers that will help you to reach your goal. In this article, we will explore how force field analysis works and how it can be used to help you make the right decisions. Force field analysis was first proposed by Kurt Lewin, a German-American psychologist and management consultant who developed the field of social psychology. Lewin argued that, in order to make progress, it is necessary to identify and understand the forces that are driving or restraining change.

It can help identify the areas of effort that need to be addressed to move a project forward or make an informed decision. Force field analysis is a very useful tool for problem solving and decision making because it provides a systematic way to analyze a situation, identify the forces that influence it, and determine how best to move forward. Force field analysis has four main components: objectives, forces, options, and actions. First, objectives are identified.

These objectives should be specific, measurable, and achievable. Next, all of the forces that can affect the achievement of these objectives are identified. These can include external forces such as economic trends or competition, as well as internal forces such as organizational culture or individual attitudes. Once all of the forces have been identified, options for how to address them are developed.

Finally, specific actions are identified that need to be taken in order to achieve the desired objectives. Force field analysis can be applied to a variety of contexts, such as business, education, organizational planning, and more. For example, in business, force field analysis can help identify the driving and opposing forces in a new product launch or market entry. In education, it can be used to analyze a new curriculum or program.

In organizational planning, it can help identify the forces that will influence a new strategic plan. The advantages of using force field analysis include its systematic approach and its ability to identify both driving and opposing forces. It is also relatively easy to use and requires minimal resources. The disadvantages include its reliance on subjective interpretations of the data and its inability to take into account long-term effects.

It also does not provide concrete solutions; instead it provides guidance on how best to move forward. Force field analysis is similar to other problem solving and decision making techniques such as SWOT analysis or Six Sigma in that they all focus on identifying potential obstacles and developing strategies to address them. However, force field analysis is unique in that it focuses on identifying both driving and opposing forces, which can provide a more comprehensive view of the situation. There has been some research into the effectiveness of force field analysis for problem solving and decision making.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Force Field Analysis

Advantages of force field analysis, disadvantages of force field analysis, components of force field analysis.

It consists of two components - driving forces and restraining forces - which can be used to identify areas of effort that need to be addressed in order to move a project forward or make an informed decision. Driving forces are the positive influences that propel a change forward. They are the factors that support the desired change and include resources, skills, knowledge, and commitment. Restraining forces are the negative influences that impede progress.

These are the factors that create resistance to the proposed change such as lack of resources, fear of failure, and lack of support. Power relationships between stakeholders also play an important role in identifying driving and restraining forces. For example, if a stakeholder has a lot of influence over the decision-making process, then their opinion may be weighted more heavily than other stakeholders’ opinions. Force field analysis can be a useful tool for problem solving and decision making by helping identify areas of effort that need to be addressed in order to move a project forward or make an informed decision.

Comparing Force Field Analysis to Other Techniques

It is useful in understanding the current context and identifying potential areas of improvement or risk. Unlike force field analysis, SWOT does not focus on the forces that drive or oppose a change. Instead, it looks at the internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. Brainstorming is an idea generation technique that is used to generate creative solutions to a problem. Unlike force field analysis, it does not analyze the forces of a particular situation.

Instead, it encourages team members to generate ideas by quickly jotting down any thoughts they have related to a problem. It is also important to note that brainstorming does not analyze the viability of any given idea. The five-whys technique is a problem solving tool that can be used to identify the root cause of a particular issue. It involves asking five “why” questions in order to get to the root of a problem. Unlike force field analysis, which focuses on the forces driving or opposing change, five-whys looks at the causes of an issue by probing deeper into the underlying causes. Force field analysis is a powerful tool for problem solving and decision making.

Examples of Force Field Analysis

In each case, force field analysis involves assessing the driving forces that support a change or decision, as well as the restraining forces that oppose it. By weighing the pros and cons of each factor, it becomes easier to determine which actions need to be taken to push forward with the project or make an informed decision. One example of force field analysis in practice is when a company evaluates whether to launch a new product. In this case, the driving forces might include customer demand, competitive pressure, and potential financial gains.

The restraining forces could include the cost of development, the risk of failure, and the time needed to bring the product to market. By examining and analyzing each of these forces, the company can then make an informed decision on whether to go ahead with the project or not. If there are more driving forces than restraining ones, then this could be an indication that launching the product is the right choice. Another example of force field analysis is when an organization looks at making an organizational change.

In this case, the driving forces might include increased efficiency, improved morale, and cost savings. The restraining forces could include employee resistance to change, disruption to current processes and systems, and potential risks associated with the change. By weighing up these different factors, the organization can then decide whether or not to go ahead with the proposed change. If there are more driving forces than restraining ones, then this could be an indication that implementing the change is the right choice. Force field analysis is a useful problem solving and decision making technique that can help identify factors driving or opposing a change.

It involves mapping out the factors driving and opposing a change in order to help identify areas of effort that need to be addressed to move a project forward or make an informed decision. Force field analysis can be applied in different contexts, and can be used in combination with other problem solving and decision making techniques. It provides an effective way to visualize the forces affecting a situation, and helps identify strategies for overcoming obstacles and achieving desired outcomes. The advantages of using this technique include its ability to quickly identify key issues and areas of focus, as well as its ability to provide an objective view of the forces affecting a situation. In comparison to other problem solving and decision making techniques, force field analysis can provide a more thorough understanding of the forces affecting a situation.

It can help to identify both positive and negative forces in order to determine the most effective course of action. Additionally, it can provide insight into how one factor may be influencing another, which can be useful when considering different solutions or decisions. Overall, force field analysis is an effective tool for problem solving and decision making, and can be used in a variety of contexts.

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What is Force Field Analysis: Explain with Example

We are all aware that analysis is a thorough investigation of something complex to understand or identify the fundamentals. But force field analysis is commonly used to guide decision-making, notably in the design and implementation of change management initiatives in companies. On that note, other people try to make that process manually or uses some expensive software for them to easily create one. Having said that, this article may help you fully understand the lewin’s force field analysis and also to provide a great tool that can use to make your job well.

Guidlines about Force Field Analysis

What is force field analysis, force field analysis example by gitmind, how to conduct a force field analysis.

It is an effective approach for getting a comprehensive overview of the various factors at work on a prospective organizational change issue, as well as determining the source and strength. lewin’s force field analysis can also be used to analyze the forces influencing a condition or to examine the elements controlling whether a specific scientific study should be implemented as a strategy.

The concept of this analysis is that circumstances are sustained by a balance between forces that promote development and those that oppose change. Users may also use this study to consider how they might increase the factors that support the change while weakening the ones that oppose it, therefore increasing the success of the change. To assess the process of this force field analysis, you may look at the sample figure below created by GitMind. Either the driving forces or the opposing forces must always be strengthened.

GitMind is a technology applications mind mapping application that enables users to brainstorm concept mapping, project planning, and other creative activities. It is also a complete tool that assists users in visualizing complex concepts, generating new ideas, creating lists and demonstrations, and so increasing their productivity. On the other hand, The diagram below shows the features and functions of GitMind including a sample of a force field analysis. This chart freeware has a huge number of shapes in a number of styles to satisfy a wide range of needs. The sum of the driving and restraining factors might assist you to determine which path to choose.

A force field analysis is generally performed in a group setting utilizing a visual schedule.

Step 1: Demonstrate your point of view or a proposal for improvement.

The organization must discuss and agree on the current situation, as well as the goal of legislative or structural reorganization. also, They must determine whether to proceed with the choice or modify it.
Proposed changed should be wriiten on the force field analysis chart or it should have a clarity across two sections.
All reasons for change should indeed be mentioned in the first column, and all forces against change should be put in the opposite column.

Step 2: Describe all of the factors for change in the first column, and all of the forces against change in the second column.

The following step is to explore the ‘Driving’ and ‘Restraining’ forces and break them down in the right category.
Both Driving and Restraining forces should evaluate and score according to their importance.

Step 3: Make a solution and action plan based on Lewin’s force field analysis findings.

The final stage is to brainstorm and develop effective tactics for reducing the restraining forces and maximizing the driving factors.
The party should consider which supportive factors it can enhance and which opposed or resistive ones it may decrease, as well as how to maximize the effectiveness of the transition.

To give the precise information necessary for an efficient study, force field analysis necessitates the complete cooperation of all parties concerned. When complete involvement is not feasible, As a result, this might be a downside leading to an assessment that does not produce a genuine picture of the supporting and opposing forces. All in all, complete cooperation of all parties is the key to making a great force field analysis. In addition to that, using GitMind can make your job much more easier and productive, especially when making mindmaps and flowcharts.

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Change Management

How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis (Free Tool & Template)

When making business decisions, you’ll always run into promoters and detractors for new change projects.

But organizational change is inevitable and necessary for business – and having a plan to quickly make and implement business decisions is critical to organizational success.

To drive successful adoption of new initiatives or processes, change agents use popular change management exercises such as a force field analysis to identify roadblocks and pillars of support – and overall shorten the time from business ideation, decision, and implementation.

What is Force Field Analysis?

The force field analysis is a widely used change management and business-diagnostic tool to help organizations gain perspective on the forces at play when you’re trying to make a large business change or decision. This approach was conceived by German-American psychologist Kurt Lewin, the creator of Lewin’s 3-Stage Model of Change , and who is also credited as the founder of modern psychology.

Lewin’s Force-Field Theory states that two sets of forces — called the driving and restraining forces — are always in opposition in an organization. When they’re in equilibrium, you maintain the status quo.

To drive change, you must strengthen the driving forces, weaken restraining forces, or do both simultaneously.

Similar to Newton’s first law of motion, a body remains in a state of inertia unless acted upon by an external force. The same is true for organizations. Orchestrating business change requires external forces, and conducting a force field analysis enables that process.

When Should You Use Force Field Analysis?

While the force field analysis is used to diagnose a problem, you can use it to:

Recognize the balance of power
Identify decision-makers
Learn who the biggest cheerleads and critics are
Find ways to influence those against change
Decide whether you should go ahead with a proposed change
Help determine the right business decision

How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis

Using this change management tool allows you to visually map the forces for, and against, a change proposal in the workplace or help decide on a difficult business decision.

Here are a few examples of what a force field analysis chart will look like:

Download this force field analysis chart template seen above, for free, here!

Here are the six steps to help you complete a force field analysis to help you come to a business decision:

1. Define the objective of your change project

Perhaps you’re trying to implement new software , going through a merger, or have a change in leadership. The first step to effective change management in all cases is defining the expected outcomes.

What do you hope will happen if the organization goes through the proposed change? Write that down in the middle of your force field analysis template.

2. Identify and list all driving forces for the change

Driving forces are the factors that will support the expected outcomes you desire. In Lewin’s model, these are considered a positive influence and can be internal or external.

Internal driving forces of change might include:

Outdated product lines
Old machinery
Diminishing employee morale
Declining profitability

While external driving forces could include:

Rapidly changing industry
Disruptive technologies
Increased competition
Changing demographic trends

Think about as many driving forces as you can that would help you affect change and list them down on the left side of your template.

You can turn to your internal team or consult change agents specializing in organizational change management.

Use some of these questions to help you arrive at the answers:

Who supports organizational change? Who may be against it?
Do you have the necessary resources to bring change?
What are the costs and risks involved?
Which processes will be impacted by the change?

3. Identify and list forces pushing against the change

Forces against the change, or restraining forces, are factors that will resist the change and make it harder for you to attain your desired outcome. Similar to driving forces, restraining forces can be internal or external.

Write as many forces you can think of down on the right side of your force field analysis chart.

At the end of this step, your force field analysis should look something like this:

4. Assign each force an impact score

Each force has a varying degree of influence on the expected outcome. To accommodate this, score each individual restaining and driving force a score from one(weakest) to five(strongest) to showcase which forces have the most impact.

You may also rate forces on a scale of 1-10, and choose to leave out forces that are too weak.

Using Whatfix’s force field template, write down each force and the score next to it, and add it all up.

Below is an example of what this will look like:

5. Propose solutions to positive influence the forces

Effective organizational change comes down to making your driving forces stronger, and eliminating or weakening the restraining forces pushing against a change.

Based on your evaluation, you can identify which forces may be weakened and which you can strengthen.

For instance, in the example above, you could:

Train staff to minimize the fear new technology adoption
Invest in better L&D tools to reduce training time
Buy new machinery to make your maintenance costs even lower
Make sure the new machinery is sustainable to reduce your environmental impact

These solutions help swing the balance in your favor and make change implementations and transitions smooth.

6. Create a Change Management Plan

If your proposed solutions cannot help you meet your goals, you may have to rethink your strategy.

But if your approach is viable, formalize your solutions in the form of a change management plan .

Your plan should include:

The well-defined objectives of the change project
Space for feedback from all stakeholders
Learning & development training sessions
All the action steps you need to take
Who’s responsible for each action step
Timeline for each part of the plan
Milestones you need to hit
Resources at your disposal and ones you need

7. Leverage a proven change management model

Change management models are frameworks with specific guidelines that help you plan and implement the change project. Learning these models can help you adopt best practices, so your organizational change is successful.

You can use one, two, or a combination of these proven change management models that have been tested by other businesses and developed by experts.

Lewin’s Change Management Model
McKinsey 7-S Model
Nudge Theory
The ADKAR Change Management Model
Kübler-Ross Change Curve
Bridges’ Transition Model
Satir Change Model
Kotter’s 8-Step Theory
Maurer 3 Levels of Resistance and Change Model
Deming Cycle (PDCA)

While the specifics may differ, all these change management models have one thing in common; they’re employee-centric.

Centering your plans around your employees can have a substantial positive impact on the success of your change project. Consider their reaction and feedback to make them a part of the process. Give them a sense of ownership rather than treating them as bystanders.

Note: There is no best change management model because each business has unique needs. By taking the time to understand them all, you can determine which makes sense for you or take elements of each to create your own plan.

✓ Thank you, the template will be sent to your email

Mini Case Study: How Netflix Changes its Business Model to Survive

Netflix is a prime example of successful organizational change that used Lewin’s change management model to do so.

Founded in 1997, Netflix sold DVDs and rentals by mail with a pay-per-rental model. In 1999, they launched a subscription service that allowed customers to rent unlimited DVDs for a fixed monthly price without late fees.

The pay-per-rental was transformed into a pay-for-use model.

But by 2007, interest in DVDs began to falter. 2 years of declining sales later, the market for DVDs had shrunk by 4.5% in 2007. Although Netflix’s sales were growing, Netflix’s CEO, Reed Hastings, knew they had to future-proof the business.

That was the second significant change. They went all-in on video streaming rather than focusing on improving the quality of physical delivery and managing the logistics.

But the problem was the technology to support this plan didn’t quite exist, so Netflix took a risk and launched its streaming service called “Watch Now.”

No one else was investing the kind of time, energy, and capital into building a comparable product, so by the time everyone caught on, Netflix had become the best streaming service.

So while there was no customer demand (driving force), a lack of tech advancement (restraining force), Netflix bet big on streaming, and it paid off.

Cut to now, and Netflix has rolled out several changes to satisfy its users:

2011: Launched mobile apps for both Android and iOS
2016: Rolled out the offline playback feature
2018: Introduced the “Skip Intro” button
2022: Unfurled its plans to extend into video gaming

You can see how the above changes help to reinforce the positive force field influencers and reduce the negative impact of those pushing against the company’s change.

Change models Netflix used for pricing

In reality, all the steps of change models cannot be implemented nor put in practice as stipulated by the theories as you’ll soon see.

Change agents may skip some steps, so it is pretty difficult to isolate all the different models, but here’s a sample of all the change models at play when Netflix changed its pricing tiers.

Netflix struggled to introduce pricing plans that factor in the cost of internet and licensing fees. This is where they adopted strategies that envisaged Lewin’s 3 step change model based on his force field theory—Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze.

Customers were unhappy with a single-price plan since all customers have different needs but they were not being met. Netflix announced changing pricing plans to include more options (Unfreeze), and went through the change (Change). But since they are still experimenting with pricing, they haven’t returned to normalcy (Refreeze).

In regards to Kotter’s model, Hastings completed the first step—to convince customers about making these changes. Hastings also included his co-founders, showing a strong coalition in the making.

He then built a strong vision with the help of the team, completing the third step of the model. Finally, they communicated their vision to customers and investors, completing the fourth stage of the model.

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Don’t allow user adoption to become a negative force on your change projects

Change management has been around for decades. But even the best, well-intentioned change projects fail. In fact, the data for change project failure rate has stood at 70% for a long time.

But according to consulting firm BCG , we’ve gotten worse at it. “ 75% of transformation efforts don’t deliver the hoped-for results.”

Of all the reasons that your change project could go wrong, don’t allow user adoption to be one of them. One of the most crucial aspects of change management, getting employees to accept and commit to these changes, can only come when you invest in training and perhaps re-training.

But employee learning cannot be siloed. Expecting them to go through major changes while accomplishing what’s already on their plate is a recipe for disaster.

Digital adoption platforms such as Whatfix can help you fix that. With Whatfix, you can get the support you need to help your implementation succeed. Employees receive support in the form of in-app content and access to training resources, helpful tips, product tours, interactive tours without ever having to leave the platform.

The help employees receive is context-aware and personalized with the ability to be delivered in a format that they’re most receptive to—video, PDF, or task lists. So adoption can occur at their pace, and your change project is more likely to succeed.

Force Field Analysis FAQs

1. what are alternatives to the force field analysis.

You can use a range of decision making tools to either complement or replace the force field analysis such as the cost/benefit matrix, scenario analysis, SWOT, or Pareto analysis.

2. What are the advantages of the force field analysis?

Some of the advantages of using the Force Field Analysis are:

It’s easy to understand
It shows the risk change carries visually
Helps with decision making
Can involve everyone in the process

3. What are the limitations of the force field analysis?

Like with any theory, force field analysis has a few disadvantages:

The scoring is subjective
Development takes time
It cannot be used to analyze overly complicated situations

Request a demo to see how Whatfix empowers organizations to improve end-user adoption and provide on-demand customer support

The Kübler Ross Change Curve in the Workplace (2024)

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widely regarded as one of the early 20th century founders of social and organisational psychology.

Lewin developed the change model - known as "Lewin's Freeze Phases" - which still forms the underlying basis of many change management theories models and strategies for managing change.

Given that the people aspects of change is the overwhelming issue and in the light of the high failure rate of so many change initiatives, it is clear that managing the change transition requires time and sensitive skillful leadership - exercised within people-focused change management processes.

This can only be consistently achieved by addressing all of the key factors that will make it possible.

Lewin’s force field analysis work provides a practical tool for assessing the case for change - a necessary precursor to the creation and implementation of a programme based approach to managing change.

It does this by identifying the key forces and drivers for making the change and also those key forces that will be in resistance to the change.

Underpinning his famous freeze phase model are 2 these important and in my view foundational concepts.

Firstly the "Lewin’s equation", introduced in "Principles of Topological Psychology" [1936], which is not actually a strict mathematical equation showing quantifiable relationships, but rather a heuristic - an experience based or rule of thumb technique - for predicting human behaviour.

The formula states that B= f(P,E) where B = Behaviour, F = Function, P = Person and E = Environment. Lewin stated that behaviour is a function of the person and his/her environment.

Thus the situational perspective of a person's present situation is the bigger key to understanding his/her behaviour instead of relying solely on past experiences and influences.

Lewin’s second foundational concept was the previously mentioned “Force field analysis” which provides a framework for looking at the factors or forces that influence a potential change situation.

According to Lewin: "An issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces - those seeking to promote change (driving forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces)".

In Lewin’s view, organisations can be seen as systems in which the current situation is not a static pattern, but rather an "equilibrium" - or “dynamic balance” of forces working in opposite directions. Thus, any change that may occur is dependent on a shift in this balance or equilibrium where the driving forces need to exceed the restraining forces.

In a potential change situation a force field analysis can be an extremely useful tool for assessing the possibility and viability of a change initiative.

Here are some suggested questions to prepare for making this assessment:

The next step is to take a white board and as shown in the video above, draw a schematic and list the forces for and against the change.

Most importantly apply a weighting to each of the forces according to their scale of influence and using a scale of say one to five, where one equals little driving force and five equals major driving force.

When you have finished listing and scoring the forces for and against you can see which side has the highest score.

Force-Field Analysis

First Online: 02 January 2023

Cite this chapter

Keith D. Walker 4

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education ((SPTE))

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Force-field Analysis was introduced by Kurt (Field theory in social science, Harper and Row, 1951), based on his earlier Field Theory developments, as a framework for studying the forces that influence individuals and their situations. Lewin described the ‘field’ as the individual’s mental construct that contained their motives, values, needs, goals, anxieties, and ideals. He theorized that an individual’s interaction (experience) with an external stimulus was important in their development or regression. Lewin applied these principles to the analysis of societal group behaviour in several areas in order to determine whether there would be forward movement or retreat from progress. (Thomas in Long Range Planning 18:54–59, 1985) explained that, although Force-field Analysis had been used in various contexts, it was rarely applied to strategy; but he suggested that the method could provide new insights into the evaluation and implementation of change. Maslen and Platts (Maslen and Platts in Force field analysis: a technique to help SMEs realize their intended manufacturing strategy. In: Proceedings of Operations strategy and performance, first European Operations Management Association Conference, University of Cambridge, pp 587–588, 1994) introduced the direct application of Force-field Analysis to manufacturing strategy and organisational change. Today, Force-field Analysis is widely used to inform decision making, particularly in managing and planning change in organisations. Force-field Analysis is a powerful method of gaining a comprehensive overview of the different forces acting on a potential change issue, and for assessing the source and strength of these impinging influences. Force-field Analysis can also now be approached through imputing quantitative and qualitative data into computer software.

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Organization Theory

Varieties of Sociological Field Theory

Qualitative Research and Its Application in Organizational Management and Social Research

Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science . Harper and Row.

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Maslen, R., & Platts, K. W. (1994, June). Force field analysis: A technique to help SMEs realize their intended manufacturing strategy. In Proceedings of Operations Strategy and Performance, first European Operations Management Association Conference (pp. 587–588). University of Cambridge.

Ramalingam, B. (2006). Tools for knowledge and learning: A guide for development and humanitarian organizations (pp. 32–33). https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/188.pdf

Thomas, J. (1985). Force field analysis: A new way to evaluate your strategy. Long Range Planning, 18 (6), 54–59.

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Additional Resources

1. What is force-field analysis Youtube (2:27 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjuGmhYhxgA

2. Force-field analysis Youtube (4:49 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKR4uf74WWA

3. Lewin’s force-field analysis Youtube (8:31 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ujAtYAfqU

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Walker, K.D. (2023). Force-Field Analysis. In: Okoko, J.M., Tunison, S., Walker, K.D. (eds) Varieties of Qualitative Research Methods. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04394-9_32

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Force field analysis examples: building momentum for change

Force field analysis is a great technique for building momentum for change. It helps you to identify and overcome the restraining forces that will hold you back. And it also helps you identify and maximize the driving forces that will create forward momentum!

Use it with your team as you lead change initiatives, it will help you build a strong foundation for successful change.

Force field analysis examples

The easiest way to get started is with some force field analysis examples, they’ll give you an intuitive grasp of the technique. Then I’ll take you through the steps to take in a force field analysis.

Force field analysis example 1: an office relocation

Let’s start with a simple example of this force field analysis technique in action. Imagine you’re considering an office move. Your lease is coming up, and you want to take the opportunity to move to a cheaper location.

Here’s what the force field analysis might look like:

Reduced rental cost and a more creative environment are the driving forces. Reduced rental is probably the most significant driver, so you give it a maximum score of ‘5’.

The restraining forces that could possibly prevent the change (or make it less successful for all involved): staff discontent, the cost of moving, and the temporary drop in productivity. None of these restraining forces are as significant as reduced rental cost, but the cumulative impact could derail the change.

Just visualizing these forces helps to make clear the challenges of leading the change . How will you minimize staff discontent? How can you manage move costs? How can you minimize the impact of a temporary drop in productivity? These questions provide the foundation for developing a plan of action.

Force field analysis example 2: new sales software

Here’s another force field analysis example, a little more complex this time.

As with most change there are costs to be calculated and the immediate impact on productivity must be considered. But these are not the most significant factors in driving successful change. The biggest challenge is usually to lead your teams through change, in this case the sales teams.

When to conduct a force field analysis

It’s best to do this type of analysis early in the planning stage, it will help you and your team to put in place a successful plan of action.

At this early stage you may also consider a premortem analysis , another useful technique to ensure project success. (The brainstorming in a premortem will also help you identity the restraining forces for this force field analysis.)

How to conduct a force field analysis: a step-by-step guide

I hope that the examples I’ve shared give you an intuitive sense of the benefits of force field analysis. Let’s now jump into a more detailed step-by-step guide to the force field analysis technique.

1. Identify your project team

You may have an existing project team, or you may need to pull together a group of people to help you with the analysis. 6-8 people is a good number, ideally with a breadth of different perspectives on the change.

If you’re all collocated and doing this face-to-face, then a meeting room with flipcharts, whiteboards and post-it notes would be ideal. If you’re doing this virtually, then a good virtual collaboration space (such as miro.com ) would be ideal.

2. Define the change you want to see

Often this is quite simple, you’ve been given an initiative to complete, and the goal is clear. Sometimes, if you’re initiating the change yourself, it may take more time to define a FAST goal , and you may want to involve your team in defining this goal.

3. Brainstorm the driving and restraining forces

This is when you need your collaboration space. Use these brainstorming techniques to identify the driving and restraining forces that this change initiative will face.

Once you’ve generated plenty of ideas with this expansive thinking, take a break. When you return put your more analytical hat on and assess all the forces you’ve identified. There will likely be some overlap and some duplication. Also, you can likely discard some as relatively insignificant. You should aim for between 2-10 discreet and significant drivers on each side of the force field.

4. Score the driving and restraining forces

Now that you have identified the restraining forces and driving forces you can score them. The greater the score, the more significant the force. A scale of 1-5 works well, it gives you enough to differentiate without being too detailed.

And as you develop the final force field analysis you may want to consider ranking the forces on each side, with the largest at the top and smallest at the bottom. It makes it easier for anyone that is new to the analysis to quickly assess it.

5. Develop your action plan

The force field analysis provides a strong foundation for developing a plan that will successfully drive change and deliver the desired outcome.

You can structure your plan around the output that you’ve just created.

Take each driving force for change, use it to clarify your goals and explore how you can maximize the benefit of the change. And take each restraining force, turn it into a positive, and make it a workstream within your plan.

Take the first force field analysis example above, the office relocation.

You would need to define the targeted rent reduction and define the requirements that will maximize the office as a creative environment. On the restraining forces side, ‘Staff discontent’ would become a project workstream focused on ‘Engaging and enthusing staff’. And because it was such a significant restraining force you know that it will need to be a significant part of your plan for change.

Force field analysis: in conclusion

Force field analysis is an easy-to-use, powerful technique to help you build momentum for change.

It should be used early in the planning process, as a strong foundation for developing a detailed action plan.

The steps to completing a force field analysis are:

Identify your project team
Define the change you want to see
Brainstorm the driving and restraining forces
Score the driving and restraining forces
Develop your action plan

First, complete steps 1 & 2, then run a workshop with your team to complete steps 3 & 4. It will probably take you about 90 minutes to run the workshop, great use of your time as a foundation for your action plan.

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Force-Field Analysis In A Nutshell

Social psychologist Kurt Lewin developed the force-field analysis in the 1940s. The force-field analysis is a decision-making tool used to quantify factors that support or oppose a change initiative. Lewin argued that businesses contain dynamic and interactive forces that work together in opposite directions. To institute successful change, the forces driving the change must be stronger than the forces hindering the change.

Force-Field Analysis	Description	Analysis	Implications	Applications	Examples
1. Identify the Driving Forces (DF)	Force-Field Analysis begins by identifying the driving forces that support the desired change or goal.	– List and describe factors, individuals, or elements that are pushing for or advocating the change. – Consider both internal and external drivers of change.	– Provides clarity on the positive forces that are propelling the change or goal forward. – Helps in understanding and harnessing supportive factors.	– Identifying factors that encourage employees to adopt new technology in a workplace. – Recognizing external market trends that favor a product launch.	Driving Forces Example: Employee enthusiasm and increased customer demand for a new product.
2. Identify the Restraining Forces (RF)	Identify the restraining forces that act as barriers or obstacles to the desired change or goal.	– List and describe factors, individuals, or elements that are resisting or hindering the change. – Identify potential sources of resistance and barriers to change.	– Highlights the negative or inhibiting forces that oppose the change or goal. – Identifies potential challenges and barriers to be addressed or mitigated.	– Recognizing employee resistance to a new organizational structure. – Identifying regulatory hurdles that may impede a project’s progress.	Restraining Forces Example: Employee fear of job insecurity and regulatory compliance challenges.
3. Assign Weights and Scores (WS)	Assign weights or scores to both driving and restraining forces based on their perceived significance.	– Rate each driving force and restraining force on a numerical scale (e.g., 1 to 5) to reflect their impact or importance. – Consider the relative strength of each force.	– Quantifies the relative influence of each force in the analysis. – Provides a basis for prioritizing forces and determining their net effect.	– Assigning weights to factors affecting the success of a strategic project. – Scoring the importance of various stakeholders’ opinions in a decision-making process.	Weight and Score Example: Giving a driving force a score of 4 and a restraining force a score of 3 based on their relative impact.
4. Calculate the Net Force (NF)	Calculate the net force by subtracting the total score of restraining forces from the total score of driving forces.	– Sum up the scores of all driving forces. – Sum up the scores of all restraining forces. – Subtract the total restraining force score from the total driving force score.	– Provides a quantitative measure of the overall strength of forces driving or restraining the change or goal. – Indicates whether the net force favors the desired change or opposes it.	– Calculating the net force for a project’s success based on the weights and scores of various influencing factors. – Assessing the net force for a company’s decision to enter a new market, considering both market opportunities and risks.	Net Force Calculation Example: Total driving forces score of 18 minus total restraining forces score of 10 results in a net force of 8 in favor of the change.
5. Analyze the Balance and Implications (BI)	Analyze the balance between driving and restraining forces and consider the implications for decision-making.	– Evaluate whether the net force is positive (favoring the change) or negative (opposing the change). – Examine the strength of the net force in relation to the significance of the change or goal.	– Helps in decision-making by indicating whether the forces are aligned or in conflict. – Guides strategies to strengthen driving forces or address restraining forces.	– Assessing whether the forces favor the adoption of a new organizational culture. – Determining whether market conditions support the launch of a new product.	Balance Analysis Example: Recognizing that the net force is strongly positive, indicating strong support for the change.
6. Develop Action Plans and Strategies (AP)	Based on the analysis, develop action plans and strategies to leverage driving forces and mitigate restraining forces.	– Formulate specific actions, initiatives, or interventions to strengthen driving forces. – Identify measures to address or mitigate the impact of restraining forces.	– Guides the development of strategies to maximize support and minimize resistance to change or the achievement of a goal. – Supports the implementation of targeted actions to achieve the desired outcome.	– Developing a change management plan to enhance employee buy-in and engagement. – Creating a marketing strategy to address customer concerns and barriers to product adoption.	Action Plan Example: Implementing a training program to enhance employee skills and reduce resistance to a new technology.

Table of Contents

Understanding the force-field analysis

Lewin argued that businesses contain dynamic and interactive forces that work together in opposite directions.

To institute successful change, the forces driving the change must be stronger than the forces hindering the change.

Importantly, change can be achieved by either strengthening a driving force or weakening a hindering force.

These factors are central to the force-field analysis because driving and hindering forces in equilibrium cause a business to remain stationary or stagnant.

Indeed, Lewin noted in 1948 that “to bring about any change, the balance between the forces which maintain the social self-regulation at a given level has to be upset.”

Moving through the force-field analysis process

Businesses wanting to conduct a force-field analysis should move through these steps:

Define problem and key stakeholders

Start by defining the problem and the desired future state by inviting key stakeholders to come together.

Then, generate a list of driving and hindering forces

To stimulate idea generation, consider those who support or oppose the change, and give potential reasons for both arguments.

It’s also helpful to define a broader project’s risks, constraints, and benefits.

Most importantly, the business must have adequate resources to see the process through to completion.

Organize the driving forces on a sheet

With the list of forces, write the driving forces on the left-hand side of a sheet of paper.

Write the hindering forces on the right, with the proposed change occupying the center.

Rate each force on a scale to assess their validity

Most businesses use a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is a weak force, and 10 is a strong force.

Then, sum the ratings of both the left and right-hand sides to determine whether driving forces or hindering forces are in control.

Assess change viability and take action

When instituting change, it is usually more cost-effective to weaken hindering forces than it is to strengthen driving forces.

For example, suppose locations with cool summers and high transport costs hinder the expansion of an ice cream business.

In that case, forces could be weakened by expansion into warmer climates in closer proximity.

Simultaneously strengthening driving forces and weakening hindering forces is also an effective strategy .

Common examples of driving and hindering forces

In the force-field analysis , driving forces that encourage change by supporting a goal or objective include:

Recruitment.
Fluctuating market conditions.
Technology and innovation .
Increased competition.
Incentives, rewards, or bonuses.
External factors such as politics, trade agreements, and shareholders.

Conversely, hindering forces that inhibit progress toward a goal include:

Fear of failure.
Outdated or inflexible management style or culture.
Unsuitably qualified or skilled employees.
Environmental or economic regulation.

Force-Field Analysis Case Study

As an example of a force field analysis , imagine an internal analysis of the factors affecting a company’s adoption of a new marketing strategy to understand what forces can be leveraged to enhance the strategy .

Through the force-field analysis , a company identifies the forces driving and restraining the adoption of the new strategy so it can prioritize its overall execution.

Some of these driving forces might include factors such as the potential for increased revenue and market share, top management’s support, and the strategy ’s alignment with the company’s overall goals.

The restraining forces might include increased costs, employees’ resistance to change, and potential adverse effects on the company’s reputation.

Based on the results of the force field analysis , the company might decide to focus on strengthening the driving forces and mitigating the restraining forces to successfully implement a more effective marketing strategy .

For instance, the company by providing additional training to employees to help them understand and support the new strategy and communicate the benefits of the new strategy to key stakeholders to gain their support.

Overall, the force field analysis will help the company identify the key factors driving and restraining the adoption of the enhanced marketing strategy .

And develop strategies to address those factors and successfully implement the change.

Additional Case Studies

Example 1: implementing a remote work policy.

Driving Forces:

Improved employee morale and job satisfaction.
Access to a broader talent pool not restricted by geographical location.
Cost savings on office utilities and rent.
Flexible schedules leading to increased productivity.

Hindering Forces:

Lack of face-to-face communication may hamper team cohesion.
Potential security risks with home networks.
Difficulty in monitoring employee performance.
Some roles may not be suitable for remote work.

Example 2: Launching a New Product Line

Potential to tap into a new market segment.
Increase in overall company revenues.
Competitive advantage if the product is innovative.
Enhanced brand visibility and reputation.
High initial investment and R&D costs.
Risk of product failure if not accepted by the target audience.
Training staff to produce, market, and support the new product.
Potential cannibalization of existing products.

Example 3: Adopting Green and Sustainable Business Practices

Positive brand image and increased customer loyalty.
Cost savings in the long run due to energy efficiency.
Access to tax incentives and grants.
Moral responsibility to protect the environment.
High initial investment in sustainable infrastructure.
Resistance from stakeholders used to traditional methods.
Short term increase in operational costs.
Potential need for retraining staff.

Example 4: Expanding Business Internationally

Access to larger markets and increased customer base.
Diversification of revenue streams.
Learning from international best practices.
Enhanced global reputation and brand recognition.
Navigating different regulatory and cultural landscapes.
High costs associated with international expansion.
Potential language and communication barriers.
Risk of business failure in unfamiliar markets.

Example 5: Upgrading to a New Technology System

Increased efficiency and productivity.
Competitive advantage with state-of-the-art technology.
Better data analytics and insights.
Enhanced customer experience.
High costs of purchasing and implementing new technology.
Downtime during the transition period.
Resistance from employees used to the old system.
Training costs and potential for errors during the learning phase.

Key takeaways

The basic premise of the force-field analysis is that counterbalancing forces enhance the status quo in business operations, thereby inhibiting change.
The force-field analysis argues that driving forces encourage change while hindering forces discourage change. When the two forces are in equilibrium, a business must weaken hindering forces or strengthen driving forces – or a combination of both.
In the force-field analysis , common driving forces include innovation and increased competition. Common hindering forces include a lack of resources, regulation, and an outdated management structure.

Key Highlights

Force-Field Analysis : A decision-making tool developed by Kurt Lewin to quantify factors that support or oppose a change initiative in a business.
Dynamic and Interactive Forces : Lewin argues that businesses have opposing forces that work together, and for successful change, driving forces must be stronger than hindering forces.
Change Implementation : Change can be achieved by either strengthening driving forces or weakening hindering forces to disrupt the equilibrium that maintains the status quo.
Define the problem and involve key stakeholders.
Generate a list of driving and hindering forces by considering supporters and opposers of the change and identifying risks, constraints, and benefits.
Organize driving forces on the left and hindering forces on the right, with the proposed change in the center.
Rate each force on a scale and sum the ratings to determine the dominant forces.
Assess change viability and take action by weakening hindering forces or strengthening driving forces.
Driving Forces : Encourage change and support the desired goal, such as recruitment, market conditions, technology, competition, incentives, and external factors like politics and trade agreements.
Hindering Forces : Inhibit progress toward the goal, like fear of failure, inflexible management, costs, unqualified employees, and regulations.
Force-Field Analysis Case Study : An example of a company’s internal analysis to adopt a new marketing strategy and identify driving and restraining forces to prioritize strategy execution.
Importance : The force-field analysis helps businesses understand the factors influencing change, enabling them to develop strategies to address hindering forces and leverage driving forces for successful implementation.

Force-Field Analysis	SWOT Analysis	PESTLE Analysis
Decision-making and problem-solving framework used to identify and analyze forces for and against a proposed change or decision.	Strategic planning tool for assessing internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats.	Strategic planning tool for analyzing external factors that may impact an organization or decision-making process.
To visualize and assess the driving and restraining forces affecting a proposed change or decision, and to facilitate decision-making based on the balance of these forces.	To identify and analyze internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats, to inform strategic planning and decision-making.	To analyze external factors such as political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors that may impact the organization or decision-making process.
– Driving forces: Factors that support or promote the change or decision. – Restraining forces: Factors that oppose or hinder the change or decision. – Analysis of the balance between driving and restraining forces.	– Strengths: Internal factors that contribute positively to the organization’s objectives. – Weaknesses: Internal factors that hinder the organization’s objectives. – Opportunities: External factors that the organization could exploit to its advantage. – Threats: External factors that could pose challenges or threats to the organization.	– Political factors: Government policies, regulations, and stability. – Economic factors: Market conditions, economic growth, inflation rates. – Social factors: Demographic trends, cultural norms, lifestyle changes. – Technological factors: Technological advancements, innovation, automation. – Legal factors: Laws, regulations, and compliance requirements. – Environmental factors: Climate change, sustainability, ecological concerns.
Applied to analyze and evaluate the potential success and risks of implementing a change or decision within an organization or project.	Utilized for strategic planning, business development, and risk management purposes, focusing on both internal capabilities and external environment.	Used to assess the external factors that may impact the organization’s operations, strategies, and decision-making processes.
Focuses on understanding the driving and restraining forces influencing a specific change or decision and identifying strategies to enhance driving forces or mitigate restraining forces.	Focuses on identifying internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats, to inform strategic planning and decision-making.	Focuses on analyzing external factors such as political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors that may impact the organization or decision-making process.
– Provides a visual representation of forces affecting a proposed change or decision, facilitating stakeholder understanding and consensus. – Helps identify strategies to strengthen driving forces or address restraining forces, enhancing the likelihood of successful change implementation.	– Offers a comprehensive understanding of internal and external factors impacting the organization, enabling strategic planning and prioritization of initiatives based on actionable insights.	– Enables organizations to assess and anticipate external factors that may impact their operations, strategies, and decision-making processes. – Helps organizations proactively identify opportunities and threats in the external environment.

How do you perform a Force-Field analysis?

To perform a force-field analysis, perform the following steps:

Define the problem and key stakeholders

What is Force Field Analysis with example?

The Force-Field analysis is used to identify the forces driving or restraining a change or decision. That is based on the idea that change is driven by a balance of forces and that to implement a change successfully, the driving forces must be strengthened, and the restraining forces must be weakened. Take the example of a company that identifies forces behind increased revenue and market share, top management’s support, and the strategy ’s alignment with the company’s overall goals, thus enhancing or restructuring its marketing strategy .

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Related Strategy Concepts: Go-To-Market Strategy , Marketing Strategy , Business Models , Tech Business Models , Jobs-To-Be Done , Design Thinking , Lean Startup Canvas , Value Chain , Value Proposition Canvas , Balanced Scorecard , Business Model Canvas , SWOT Analysis , Growth Hacking , Bundling , Unbundling , Bootstrapping , Venture Capital , Porter’s Five Forces , Porter’s Generic Strategies , Porter’s Five Forces , PESTEL Analysis , SWOT , Porter’s Diamond Model , Ansoff , Technology Adoption Curve , TOWS , SOAR , Balanced Scorecard , OKR , Agile Methodology , Value Proposition , VTDF Framework , BCG Matrix , GE McKinsey Matrix , Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model .

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Your Task for the Case

Here is a case regarding Huffy Corporation's evaluation on its current strategy. Suppose that you are a consultant who is working on assessing Huffy's strategic decision. Your client, a manager in the administration department, provided you some examples of external forces and internal forces collected and analyzed from the annual reports and wanted you to identify forces for change and forces resisting change from these external and internal factors.

The Case of Huffy

The 1982 sales of bicycles in the United States dropped approximately 40 per cent. Sales were at the lowest level in 15 years. Huffy Corporation, the United States’ largest manufacturer of bicycles, received 90 per cent of its revenues from bicycle sales. Given the decline in sales and the pessimistic projections for the short-term future, Huffy was forced to evaluate its current strategy. It was necessary for Huffy to decide whether to remain with its current strategy for selling bicycles (its major product) through mass retailers (its major outlet) or to consider a diversification strategy.

External Forces

One of the general changes in society impacting many businesses in the U.S. is the increasing birth rate. Where there were slightly over three-million children born in 1975, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service estimates the birth rate will increase to 4.5 million children per year for 1985 to 1990. This ‘baby boom echo’ is in large part the result of children from the post World-War II ‘baby boom’ starting families. The delay in starting families by this group has created an increased disposable income per child, making investments in infant’s and children’s products potentially attractive. Yet with their emphasis on bicycles it would be a number of years before the new births represent potential customers for Huffy. Being able to market products for infants and toddlers thus is a pressure encouraging Huffy to undertake a different strategy than was used in the past.

Another pressure to change strategies was the increased interest in physical fitness. The physical fitness interest is relevant to Huffy as a producer of bicycles, but it is also of interest to all firms interested in producing physical fitness related equipment and supplies. Given Huffy’s contacts with mass retails, diversification into other products related to sporting goods and physical fitness has potential strategic fit.

A significant force for many smaller firms (including Huffy) considering diversifying into physical fitness products is the entry of firms with large resource bases into the market. West Bend Company and Campbell Soup have both aggressively entered the market. West Bend expects sporting goods to account for 20 per cent of its sales within one year of entry. Campbell Soup increased the number of outlets selling its sporting goods products from 60 to 1500 outlets in five months. Campbell’s sees the diversification as a part of its ’health and well-being’ theme. The entry of large firms into the market for sporting goods and fitness products may serve as a significant force against movement into the market by Huffy.

Another force against some diversification strategies is Huffy’s strong association with mass retailers. The association of the Huffy name with mass markets and discount sales may prove a barrier to producing or marketing premium quality products through specialty shops. While such market may not represent the potential sales volume of mass markets, higher profit margins may make such diversification strategies attractive.

A final external force favoring Huffy’s diversification from its concentration on bicycles is competition from imports. The Bicycle Manufacturers’ Association projected a 30 per cent increase in bicycle sales in the U.S. for 1984. However, nearly all of the increase was expected to result from imported cycles. The increased competition from imports is an especially salient force for a single product company such as Huffy where 90 per cent of sales were from bicycles. The threat of imports is one force causing Huff’s management to undertake a diversification strategy designed to reduce bicycle sales to less than 50 per cent of corporate sales.

Internal Forces

There were also a number of forces within Huffy that were relevant to the selection and implementation of diversification strategies. One of the major internal pressures for change was Huffy’s strong research and development department, the Huffy Tech Center. Using the Tech Center’s new technology, U.S. cyclists won two gold, two silver and a bronze medal in the 1984 Olympics on bicycles produced by Huffy. They were the first Olympic medals won by U.S. cyclists since 1912. Huffy Tech Center has also allowed the firm to introduce innovative new products in sporting goods, in tricycles and in other youth-oriented products.

Huffy’s response to the decreased sales of 1982 provided a strong internal base from which to diversity. In response to the sales decline, Huffy closed two production facilities and modernized other facilities to produce the same number of bicycles with fewer personal and at a lower per unit cost. This move provided the firm a strengthened profit margin and existing facilities in which to produce new products.

The major internal force opposing diversification efforts is the limited experience of Huffy management. The firm’s management team has a proven record of successfully marketing bicycles through mass retailers. The ability of existing management to successfully market a more diversified product line through other retail outlet (e.g. specialty shops) was a major consideration in diversifying from its basic bicycle business.

Your Analysis

According to the definition and examples we talked about earlier, you might now be able to tell your client what the forces for change are and what the forces resisting change are by completing the following questions.

1 These are the external forces influencing Huffy's strategic decision, please choose the one(s) that work(s) for changes.

	Name associated with mass markets.
	Rising birth rates.
	Public interest in physical fitness.
	Entry of firm with larger resources bases.
	Pressure from imports

2 These are the internal forces influencing Huffy's strategic decision, please choose the one(s) against changes.

	Limited management experience.
	Strong research and development efforts.
	Distribution channels limited to mass retailers.
	Modern production facilities with excess capacity.

Click the Next button to continue.

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Certainty Blog

How to use force field analysis to manage change and improve performance.

Table of contents

What is a Force Field Analysis?
Who Created Force Field Analysis
7-Step Guide
How Certainty Helps

What is Force Field Analysis?

Force field analysis is based on the idea that any current situation or state is the result of a balance of power between driving forces and restraining forces. Driving forces are those that push for the desired change while restraining forces are those that resist or hinder it. To achieve the desired state, you need to either increase the driving forces, decrease the restraining forces, or both.

Force Field Analysis Origins

Force field analysis was developed by Kurt Lewin , a social psychologist and pioneer of organizational development. Lewin used the analogy of a field of forces to describe how the behavior of individuals and groups is influenced by various factors in their environment. He applied this concept to various fields, such as group dynamics, action research, change management, etc.

What are the Advantages?

Force field analysis has several advantages as a decision-making tool. Some of them are:

Identify and prioritize the factors that affect your situation or change.
Assess the strength and impact of each factor on your goal or desired state.
Visualize the current state of your situation or change and compare it with your goal or desired state.
Generate ideas for actions that can increase the driving forces and decrease the restraining forces.
Evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of your actions and plan accordingly.

How to Perform a Force Field Analysis in Seven Steps

To perform a force field analysis, you need to follow these steps:

Define the current state and the desired state of the situation you want to change. Be as specific and realistic as possible.
Identify and list all the driving forces and restraining forces that affect the situation. You can use brainstorming techniques, stakeholder analysis, SWOT analysis, or other methods to generate ideas. You can also use different formats, such as a whiteboard, a worksheet, or a template, to organize your thoughts.
Assign a score to each force based on its strength and importance. You can use a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is weak and 5 is strong. Alternatively, you can use qualitative labels, such as low, medium, or high.
Draw a diagram that shows the current state, the desired state, and the opposing forces on each side. You can use arrows of different sizes or colors to indicate the scores of each force.
Analyze the results and identify the most critical forces that need to be addressed. You can use case studies or examples to illustrate how similar situations have been handled in the past.
Develop an action plan that outlines how you will increase the driving forces and/or decrease the restraining forces. You should also specify the roles and responsibilities of the decision-makers and stakeholders involved in the change process.
Monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of your action plan. You should also be prepared to adjust your plan as needed based on feedback and changing circumstances.

Here’s a quick example of implementing a Force Field Analysis for a production company.

Goal or desired state: To increase the production capacity by 20% in the next six months.

Driving forces:

Customer demand is increasing and the company needs to meet it.
The company has secured a new contract with a large client that requires more output.
The company has access to new technology and equipment that can improve efficiency and quality.
The company has a skilled and motivated workforce that is willing to learn and adapt.

Restraining forces:

The company has limited space and resources to expand its facilities.
The company faces competition from other manufacturers that offer lower prices or faster delivery.
The company has to comply with strict safety and environmental regulations that may limit its options or increase its costs.
The company may encounter resistance from some employees or suppliers who are used to the current way of working or who fear losing their jobs or business.

Total score: Driving forces = 16, Restraining forces = 12

Difference: 16 – 12 = 4

Analysis: The driving forces are stronger than the restraining forces, which means that the goal is achievable and the current state is favorable for change. However, the difference is not very large, which means that the situation is not very stable and the restraining forces could still hinder the change. Therefore, the company needs to take action to increase the driving forces and decrease the restraining forces. For example, the company could:

Negotiate with the landlord or look for alternative locations to increase its space.
Improve its marketing and customer service to differentiate itself from its competitors and retain its loyal customers.
Seek advice from experts or authorities on how to comply with the regulations without compromising its performance or profitability.
Communicate with its employees and suppliers about the benefits and challenges of the change and involve them in the planning and implementation process.

30+ Audit and inspection checklists free for download.

How certainty can help.

Certainty can help you conduct force field analysis and make better decisions for your change management initiatives. Such ways it helps to improve this analysis process include:

Create and customize your own force field analysis forms or use pre-built templates
Collect data online or offline using any device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop
Assign scores and weights to each driving and restraining forces
Generate and share real-time reports and dashboards that show the current state, the desired state, and the opposing forces
Create and delegate actions to address the critical forces and monitor their progress and impact
Integrate with other systems and tools, such as Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or SharePoint

Certainty is used by hundreds of thousands of users across various industries and sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, energy, healthcare, hospitality, and more. It helps them ensure compliance, reduce risk, and improve performance with easy-to-use forms, real-time reports, and complete action management.

Book a quick demo with our team to see how we can help you with force field analysis and other inspection and audit needs.

Force Field Analysis FAQ

What is force field analysis and who developed it.

Force field analysis is a change management tool that helps you analyze the factors that support or oppose a proposed change, and make better decisions. It was developed by Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist and pioneer of organizational development.

What are the advantages of using force field analysis?

Force field analysis helps you identify and prioritize the factors that affect your situation or change, assess the strength and impact of each factor, visualize the current state and the desired state, generate ideas for actions, and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of your actions.

How do you perform a force field analysis?

To perform a force field analysis, you need to define the current state and the desired state, identify and list the driving forces and restraining forces, assign a score to each force, draw a diagram, analyze the results, and develop an action plan.

What is an example of using force field analysis in practice?

An example of using force field analysis in practice is a production company that wants to increase its production capacity by 20% in the next six months. The company uses this analysis to identify the driving forces (such as customer demand, new contracts, new technology, etc.) and restraining forces (such as limited space, competition, regulations, etc.) that affect its goal, and then plans actions to increase the driving forces and decrease the restraining forces.

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4 Amazing Force Field Analysis Examples

Describe your plan or proposal with the help of Force Field Analysis. 4 amazing examples to guide you through the applications of Force Field Analysis.

Force Field Analysis Examples:

Example 1: Basic Force Field Analysis Example

Example 2: Create Force Field Analysis Example

Example 3: Force Field Analysis Example for Losing Weight

Example 4: Force Field Analysis Example for Upgrading Hospital Equipment

Basic Force Field Analysis Diagram Template

Through this clear and simple Force Field Analysis example, we know that in a Force Field Analysis diagram, there are two lists of forces, driving forces and restraining forces . They both effect the proposed change in a certain way.

Create Force Field Analysis Example

This example shows the main elements included in a Force Field Analysis diagram. This diagram software provides a large set of shapes with different colors to meet all kinds of requirements. The total score of driving forces and restraining forces can help you decide on which way to go.

Force Field Analysis Example for Losing Weight

Some people may find it hard to start exercise for losing weight because they don't want to change their current lifestyle. Draw a Force Field Analysis diagram may help you with this kind of situation. Simply list the advantage (driving forces) and disadvantage (restraining forces) of losing weight and you will find it much easier to take action right away!

Other diagrams can also help you lose weight and live a healthier life.

Instruction of Mind Mapping Weight Lost

Mind Map - Live a Healthy Life

Healthy Life Fishbone Template

Force Field Analysis Example for Upgrading Hospital Equipment

Hospitals may encounter with the situation of upgrading medical equipment sometime for patients interest. But the change of equipment comes with a price. The expenses to purchase, staff training for operation of new machines, and disruption during operation, etc. This Force Field Analysis diagram with the form of Libra clearly displays all forces that need to be considered.

Full Understanding - Force Field Analysis Definition

How to Create Force Field Analysis Diagram

Force Field Analysis Diagram Templates

Force Field Analysis Diagram Template for PPT

Force Field Analysis Diagram Template for MS Word

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Home » Business » Force Field Analysis Explained with Examples

Force Field Analysis Explained with Examples

Most people are required to make dozens of decisions over a given time. But how do you know if you’re making the right decision? One way to do this is by using something known as Force Field Analysis. This is essentially a change management model used for analyzing your situation and deciding whether or not a change needs to be made.

It was invented by German-American psychologist Kurt Lewin, who was a pioneer of social science and organizational psychology. According to this social psychologist, no situation presents itself as a static pattern. Instead, all situations exist in a state of equilibrium between supportive forces and opposing forces. These forces often pull us in opposite directions and exert a level of influence over human behavior. These internal drivers are why decision-making can be so difficult.

The five following steps describe how this tool works.

The 5 Steps Explained

The Force Field Analysis steps consist of the following:

Start by looking at the forces which influence your current state, goal, or status quo.
Divide these forces into things that drive you toward your goal or prevent you from reaching it.
Brainstorm what forces are holding you back.
Score the results.
Use this analysis to make your decision.

#1: Describe Your New Desired State or Behavioral Change You’d Like to Make

The first step of this powerful technique for decision-making involves listing your current situation. This is done by drawing a box in the middle of a piece of paper and placing this information inside it (this is also known as the force field diagram).

In this box, you can list your present situation or desired change. Alternatively, you can write down a goal, ideal situation, or a list of things that need to change.

For example, a common business goal is wanting to increase your bottom line. When it comes to personal goals, you may want to lose weight or have problems in your relationship. No matter what the situation is, you’ll start by defining the problem and what you’d like to change about it.

Examples: a. Weight Loss: In this first case study, we’re looking at a person who is overweight. Most overweight people are desperate to slim down. Unfortunately, they often find this difficult. This is usually because people don’t want to alter their behavior or lifestyle. Maybe you enjoy eating unhealthy food, or you’re addicted to it. Another problem could be the unwillingness to exercise. In this example, the current situation could be listed as “I’m overweight,” and the desired change could be “I’m healthy and slim.” (Follow this weight loss example below through the steps.)

b. New York City Hospital Equipment Upgrade: This root cause analysis is often used in healthcare. For example, all hospitals need to upgrade equipment over time. The problem is that this is often easier said than done. There may be dozens of factors involved. These could include things such as the expense, lack of training, or the need for additional training. Here the given issue could be described as “old and outdated equipment” and the successful change as “updated equipment.” (Follow this hospital example below through the steps.)

c. Implementing Weekly Teacher Training: In our third example, a school wants to start additional training sessions for teachers. The purpose of this training is to find ways to integrate state test objectives into their teaching plans. As can imagine, many teachers may be resistant to this. Training could mean they have to take time out of their busy schedule or put in extra work. Opposing this is the need to improve their test scores, and therefore the quality of education. (Follow this teacher training example below through the steps.)

#2: What Forces Are Driving Change?

Next, brainstorm a list of driving forces behind this change, and place them to the left of your box. These might be internal factors such as inadequately trained and motivated staff or external factors such as the changing needs of your marketplace. When building this left column of forces, try to come up with as many as possible. The more, the better.

Examples: a. Weight Loss: There could be dozens of external drivers behind your desire to lose weight. For most people, the biggest force is appearance. Perhaps you’re sick to death of being fat and hate the way you look. There are also psychological and social forces at play, such as having a poor self-image, low self-esteem, and low or no self-confidence.

Social forces and cultural norms may include the bad reaction you get from other people. This can also include your family, friends, or spouse pressuring you to lose weight. Then you have things like embarrassment in social situations.

Another big factor is health considerations. Obesity can lead to things like diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses. Finally, you have practical issues, like finding clothes you can fit into and the general burden of moving your body around.

b. New York City Hospital Equipment Upgrade: The biggest factor driving change is most likely the emergence of new diseases and conditions. You may need new equipment to treat these diseases. It could also be that new technology has been invented to treat old diseases. Along with this, new machines may increase your efficiency, or perhaps your old equipment no longer works as efficiently as possible.

What’s more, different factors behind the change may include the fact that you’re offering new services. For example, your hospital may be improving its given level of care or opening up an oncology unit. Finally, there could be more abstract reasons, such as your responsibility to offer the best possible care to patients.

c. Implementing Weekly Teacher Training: In this example, the desire to boost state test scores is probably the biggest motivating factor. Failure to do this may have negative consequences. For example, the school could lose funding. Teachers might be happy to meet weekly because they desire to improve education. Add to this the fact that they may already meet weekly for other purposes. In addition to this, the state could have the support of the principal. Finally, are teachers willing and highly motivated to reach the state’s desired goals?

#3: What Forces Are Preventing Change from Occurring?

The next step involves listing the restraining forces which are preventing change. These could include internal, psychological forces, such as the fear of change, or external factors, such as issues with customers, technology, or the marketplace. This list of opposing forces is placed on the right side of your box.

Examples: a. Weight Loss: There could be dozens of negative forces which prevent you from losing weight. The biggest is probably your love of unhealthy food. Other sets of forces could involve addiction issues, such as an addiction to junk food. You may also have issues with bad habits such as overeating or snacking.

Along with this, a big reason why people are overweight is that they don’t want to exercise. That being said, it could be more complicated. Maybe you don’t have time to exercise or the know-how. You might not have time to join a gym or purchase exercise equipment. Lack of time, money, and knowledge could also be the reason why you eat poorly.

b. New York City Hospital Equipment Upgrade: In the third step of Lewin’s force field analysis, you’ll list the external forces which prevent change. These go in your right column. In this situation, the biggest factor will be the amount of money needed to upgrade equipment. Different parts of this issue could include the difficulty of finding money in your budget or having to raise this money. Key stakeholders may also be against purchasing new equipment.

Another huge factor is training staff to use the equipment. This may involve spending additional time and money – something else which plays a huge role in disruption. Depending on the size of the equipment, installing it may require enormous amounts of effort. You may have to alter the hospital, either by finding more space or performing construction work.

c. Implementing Weekly Teacher Training: There could be many things opposing change or an ideal state. One of these could be the teachers’ reluctance to work with government officials. It may also take time to gather any data which these officials may need. Then there’s the stress factor. Teachers may find reaching certain objectives highly stressful and even impossible, depending on their students. They may lack the time needed to implement changes.

Teachers could also have a set way of doing things and have no interest in changing or improving. In fact, the school may have to change its entire organizational culture. One last thing to consider is this: teaching in a way that focuses on raising test scores might not be best for students. In fact, it might actually be detrimental to students.

#4: Give These Forces a Total Score

In step four, both forces to the left and right of your force field analysis diagram are given scores from one to five. These scores are based on the degree of influence they have on your situation.

For example, one indicates a weak force, while five indicates a strong force. It also helps to visually represent the degree of power each force has. To do this, draw arrows around each force. Use larger arrows for the most powerful and smaller arrows for lesser forces.

Examples: a. Weight Loss: You’ll now list these positive and resistant forces to the left and right of your box. Next, give each a score out of five, depending on the strength of the force. For example, for most people, food is the reason why they are overweight, so you’ll probably give that a five. Then you have a lack of exercise, which you may want to score as four.

In addition to this, you have social embarrassment. For many overweight people, this is only a minor issue, so you could give this factor a three (although this will vary from person to person). Go through each positive and negative factor, and list them to the left or right of the box, along with their score.

b. New York City Hospital Equipment Upgrade: You then need to list each factor on a numerical scale. As we’ve said, the biggest problem will probably be money. Training staff and reorganizing the hospital will, to a lesser extent, also be an issue.

Opposing this is the need to treat new diseases and conditions. This should be your most important factor. That being said, things like the fact that equipment is breaking down could be more important. Otherwise, looking at the bigger picture, responsibility to patients might be more critical (this could include the need to avoid medical malpractice suits).

c. Implementing Weekly Teacher Training: In this situation, improving test scores will be most important, and one should score a five. This is especially true if test scores are linked to funding or the state is determined to reach this objective. Other factors, such as the support of the principal and staff, are less important and will score a one or two. Of even less importance is how students feel about this.

Opposing these driving forces are things like increased stress levels for teachers and students. This is more than likely the biggest consideration and will score a five. After this, you have time limits which are also very important, and you may score a four. Of lesser importance are abstract concepts, such as whether or not this is a good idea. Usually, these types of things can only be determined once the change is put into motion.

#5: Analyze What You’ve Done

After the previous four steps, your force field analysis is complete. Now it’s time to analyze what you’ve done and to put this analysis into action. There are several ways to do this.

First, you can decide if you’re going to make a certain decision or proposed change. You can also use this analysis to draw up an action plan or alter the organizational behavior of a company. Second, you can use it to decide what you’re going to do about both the supporting and resisting forces. How can you either strengthen or weaken these forces?

When doing this, take safety considerations into account. For example, could a certain situation have a negative impact, such as death or accidents? When encountering these types of situations, it’s best to use another decision-making tool other than force field analysis.

Finally, bear in mind that force field analysis can often be completely subjective. While you may think that a certain factor is important, it may play no role whatsoever. Also, make sure that you’ve put in enough work. This decision-making tool may seem simple, but this is often because people do not consider each and every factor involved.

Examples: a. Weight Loss: This analysis should give you a good idea as to why you can’t lose weight. By analyzing each factor and scoring it, you’ll be able to understand your situation better. For example, maybe you’re fine with exercising but refuse to give up the food you eat. On the other hand, your motivating factors could include being nagged by your spouse. Another motivating factor could be the burden of your enormous body or the fact that you feel tired all the time and are developing Type 2 diabetes.

By the time this force-field analysis is complete, you should be able to make a decision. Perhaps you’ll decide on a new way of living. This could include cutting down your favorite food or giving it up completely. Maybe you’ll decide to only eat this type of food once a week. What you’ll also have to do is practice social self-regulation, i.e., avoiding unhealthy food in social situations.

You may also come up with a plan for exercising more or could even decide on something as simple as walking around the block once a day. Other useful techniques could include visiting a counselor or joining a weight loss support group such as weight watchers. Remember, at the end of the day, the aim of the tool is to make decisions that lead to positive outcomes.

b. New York City Hospital Equipment Upgrade: With this force field analysis tool, you should be able to find the best approach for achieving your desired outcome. First of all, this will include how to handle this planned change issue. You may decide to purchase new equipment or put it off. Maybe the time isn’t right, or you simply cannot find the money.

The opposite may also be true and stronger forces could be at play. Your equipment could be on its last legs and at the point of failure. You may have lost patients due to this and therefore have no choice to upgrade. Take note: force field theory doesn’t work well when there are safety concerns. In this scenario, it’s not about making a decision to upgrade equipment – you essentially have no choice. If this is the case, then all possible solutions must be considered.

c. Implementing Weekly Teacher Training: Based on this force field analysis work, what can the state do to set in motion a successful change initiative? First of all, they can rely on the principal to motivate teachers and students. Also, if teachers are reluctant, it may help to communicate to them that this additional training is not a reflection of their teaching skills. They should also communicate the fact that their performance is not being evaluated. The only goal is raising test scores.

Last on the list is the training itself. Here the state can provide the training teachers need in order to implement test objectives into their lesson plans. Teachers may also want to engage in action research or examine the group dynamics inside of their classroom. Doing this may help them discover why test scores are inadequate. Maybe pupils need to be broken up into small groups where they can learn better. Perhaps one-on-one teaching would have a more positive impact on certain students.

Field analysis is a useful tool for making difficult decisions. It helps you think about the balance of power between opposing forces and how to find a dynamic balance.

Once this is done, you can then decide what type of action to take. Maybe your initial plan requires work, or you need to consult further with team members. Either way, the main purpose of Lewin’s theories and analysis is to help you make informed and wise decisions. When this is done, your chances of success increase greatly.

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Force Field Analysis

will a change project succeed – the force field analysis.

This Tools for Change briefing deals with Force Field Analysis – a simple yet powerful technique to consider the forces for and against a given initiative. Force Field Analysis is used as a filter for change projects to help identify whether they are likely to ‘fly’ or fail: those where the sum of forces helping a given initiative significantly outweigh those restraining or opposing it are more likely to succeed. This is depicted graphically.

Helping and hindering forces for change Any successful change program relies on building a consensus that comprehends stakeholders’ views and interests. Force Field Analysis provides a means to assess and weigh up those interests. It’s built on the same ’for and against’ logic of a cost-benefit analysis, but it deals with stakeholder interests and other forces (such as social or technological changes) rather than economic values.

In a Force Field Analysis all forces (both helping and hindering) are identified, rated on a scale (usually from 1 to 5) and plotted, with the total of each side (helping versus hindering) then tallied. A Force Field Analysis would typically be carried out by the steering committee or working group responsible for a change program on an ‘as is’ basis as a means to assess whether a given project should form part of an overall change effort.

A change management case study using Force Field Analysis Below is a worked example of a completed Force Field Analysis for an organisation considering whether to implement an Enterprise Risk Management system.

In this example, the CEO’s support is a critical driving force, and the organisation’s basic understanding of risk management, and the support of the Finance division are critical. The familiarity and operational value of similar systems already in place, and the prospect of greater engagement with the Board are other helping forces.

On the other hand, existing workload pressures, general inertia and a low perceived need for the initiative count against it, as does a general scepticism about broad-scale management initiatives.

The total of helping forces tallies to 17, while restraining and hindering forces sum to -10: the initiative therefore has a good chance of success.

Another powerful use for the Force Field Analysis is that it highlights where action can be directed to further stack the deck in favour of success. In this case, existing staff workloads might be examined and re-prioritised, and the CEO and CFO might craft a message to all staff highlighting the importance and benefits of an ERM program and how staff can gain from it (enhanced ability to deal with policy or economic shocks and hence greater job certainty, new job opportunities emerging in the risk area etc.).

So Force Field Analysis is not only a filtering and assessment tool: useful change tactics can also pop out of the process of conducting the assessment. As with so many of these techniques, it’s the conversational process – and the learning arising from it – that provides the most value, rather than the diagram produced at the end.

If you would like assistance developing a change program and building a consensus for it using tools such as the Force Field Analysis, please contact me on phone 0414 383 374 or by return email.

The next series of briefings, starting from late November, will focus on performance: how to analyse it and improve it.

In the meantime, I hope this briefing assists you plan and execute your organisational change initiatives.

Regards, Michael Carman Director | Michael Carman Consulting PO Box 686, Petersham NSW 2049 | M: 0414 383 374 | W: www.mcarmanconsulting.com

P.S. To hold an initial no-cost discussion on how you can use the Force Field Analysis – or other relevant change techniques – to improve your organisation’s performance, please contact me direct on phone 0414 383 374.

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Force field analysis.

What is a force field analysis? How to perform a force field analysis More information Sources

What is a force field analysis?

A force field analysis helps a team study a problem's positives and negatives, and how they impact resolving that problem. It can present pros and cons in an easy comparison, allowing for consensus and collective decision-making.

How to perform a force field analysis

1. draw field.

On a large piece of paper, draw a large letter T. At the top of the T, write the key issue or problem your team will analyze. To the right of the top of the T, describe the ideal situation you would like to achieve.

2. Fill chart

Brainstorm together the factors that can positively push you toward your ideal situation (driving forces), and the factors that impede you from reaching your ideal situation (restraining forces). These can be either internal or external factors.

3. Prioritize

Prioritize the driving forces that can be strengthened, and identify the restraints that would allow for the most progress toward the ideal state if they were eliminated.

More information

Force Field Analysis Mind Tools

Whiteboard: Force Field Analysis (YouTube: 3:29) Institute for Healthcare Improvement

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Force Field Analysis
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What is Force Field Analysis? What are the 3 Steps of the Force Field?
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Force Field Analysis
Force Field Analysis helps you to weigh the pros and cons of a decision, and helps you to think about what you need to do to make change successful.
Force Field Analysis: The Ultimate How-to Guide
The Force Field Analysis is a tool that enables a change practitioner to visually map and analyze the driving and resisting forces behind a project or initiative. The model portrays driving forces (those that are working in the direction of the change) and resisting and/or restraining forces (those that tend to support the status quo).
Force Field Analysis: Examples and Purpose
According to the force field theory in social science, all forms of organizational change must contend with driving forces that advance change and restraining forces that prevent change. You can use a decision-making tool called a force field analysis to assess what forces will impact your desired change for your organization.
Force Field Analysis
A comprehensive guide explaining what is a force field analysis and how to conduct one in six simple steps. Free templates to collaborate on.
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Force field analysis is a framework for understanding the factors which can influence and impact a potential change.
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Force field analysis is a basic tool for root cause analysis that can help you take action once the root cause has been identified. The technique is based on the assumption that any situation is the result of forces for and against the current state being in equilibrium. Countering the opposing forces and/or increasing the favorable forces will ...
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What is force field analysis? It is an effective approach for getting a comprehensive overview of the various factors at work on a prospective organizational change issue, as well as determining the source and strength. lewin's force field analysis can also be used to analyze the forces influencing a condition or to examine the elements ...
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How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis (Free Tool & Template) In this in-depth guide, we break down a force field analysis, how to conduct one, its advantages and disadvantages - as well as provide you with an interactive force field analysis tool and free analysis template.
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Lewin's force field analysis work provides a practical tool for assessing the case for change - a necessary precursor to the creation and implementation of a programme based approach to managing change. It does this by identifying the key forces and drivers for making the change and also those key forces that will be in resistance to the change.
Force-Field Analysis
Force-field Analysis is a powerful method of gaining a comprehensive overview of the different forces acting on a potential change issue, and for assessing the source and strength of these impinging influences. Force-field Analysis can also now be approached through imputing quantitative and qualitative data into computer software.
Force field analysis examples: building momentum for change
Force field analysis examples: building momentum for change Force field analysis is a great technique for building momentum for change. It helps you to identify and overcome the restraining forces that will hold you back. And it also helps you identify and maximize the driving forces that will create forward momentum!
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Force Field Analysis is a technique to visually identify and analyse forces affecting a problem situation so as to plan a positive change. It has been used in diverse fields ranging from organisational change to self-development.
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Force-Field Analysis Case Study: An example of a company's internal analysis to adopt a new marketing strategy and identify driving and restraining forces to prioritize strategy execution.
Instructional design/Force field analysis/A case study for practicing
Your Task for the Case Here is a case regarding Huffy Corporation's evaluation on its current strategy. Suppose that you are a consultant who is working on assessing Huffy's strategic decision. Your client, a manager in the administration department, provided you some examples of external forces and internal forces collected and analyzed from the annual reports and wanted you to identify ...
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Learn how to use force field analysis, a change management tool that helps you analyze the factors that support or oppose a proposed change.
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ors which influenced implementation of eTool/eTM technology in one MRO organization. An exploratory case study was chosen for this study, as it was an appropriate methodology for applying an innovative utility of application of force field analysis methodology to understanding the process of change. A force field analysis (Lewin, 1951) encapsulates the unique benefits of identifying factors ...
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A change management case study using Force Field Analysis Below is a worked example of a completed Force Field Analysis for an organisation considering whether to implement an Enterprise Risk Management system.
Force field analysis
What is a force field analysis? A force field analysis helps a team study a problem's positives and negatives, and how they impact resolving that problem. It can present pros and cons in an easy comparison, allowing for consensus and collective decision-making.

Force Field Analysis: The Ultimate How-to Guide

What is Force Field Analysis

What are Driving Forces?

What are Restraining Forces?

Changing the Equilibrium

Why use Force Field Analysis?

Case Study: 5 Steps to Fast and Dramatic Change using Force Field Analysis

How you can do a Force-Field Analysis?

The Ultimate Guide to Understanding the Force Field Analysis

What is Force Field Analysis

The basis of the tool

When to use the tool

How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis

Step 1: Assess the current situation

Step 2: Define the objective

Step 3: Identify the driving forces

Step 4: Identify the restraining forces

Step 5: Evaluate the forces

Step 6: Create an action plan

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Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Using Force Field Analysis

Overview: What is a force field analysis?

Here are the steps for completing a force field analysis:

3. Brainstorm and identify the blocking (resisting or hindering) forces to change.

4. Score and weight each factor.

5. Analyze and implement your action plan for change.

3 benefits of a force field analysis

1. Reduces barriers to change

2. Creates effective communication

3. Reduces resistance to change

Why is a force field analysis important to understand?

The existence of specific forces which will help or hinder change

Provide insight into why people may resist your change

Flexibility of the force field analysis

An industry example of a force field analysis

3 best practices when thinking about a force field analysis

1. Formalized brainstorming

2. Be realistic

3. Do your force field analysis early in the Improve phase of DMAIC

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about a force field analysis

When would you use a force field analysis?

How would you describe how to do a force field analysis in simple terms?

Quick review of a force field analysis

About the Author

Ken Feldman

Advantages and Disadvantages of Force Field Analysis

Comparing Force Field Analysis to Other Techniques

Examples of Force Field Analysis

Structured Decisions: An Overview of the Decision Making Process

Negotiation and Compromise

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What is Force Field Analysis: Explain with Example

Guidlines about Force Field Analysis

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How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis (Free Tool & Template)

What is Force Field Analysis?

When Should You Use Force Field Analysis?

How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis

1. Define the objective of your change project

2. Identify and list all driving forces for the change

3. Identify and list forces pushing against the change

4. Assign each force an impact score

5. Propose solutions to positive influence the forces

6. Create a Change Management Plan

7. Leverage a proven change management model

Mini Case Study: How Netflix Changes its Business Model to Survive

Change models Netflix used for pricing

Don’t allow user adoption to become a negative force on your change projects

Force Field Analysis FAQs

2. What are the advantages of the force field analysis?

3. What are the limitations of the force field analysis?

Force-Field Analysis

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