Force Field Analysis: Examples and Purpose

A force field analysis (FFA) is a change management model that breaks down the driving forces for and the restraining forces against change. German-American social psychologist Kurt Lewin's force field theory of change illustrates how opposing forces both drive change and cement an organization’s current state. Today, Lewin’s force field analysis guides change initiatives in organizational culture by tapping into human psychology, process management, and market trends.

While some may equate a force field analysis tool with a list of pros and cons for change, the two tools work slightly differently. A force field analysis starts with business leaders expressing the desired state for their organization. Rather than list the pros and cons of reaching that desired state, a force field analysis lets leaders brainstorm the various market forces, human needs, and business processes that will advance or block the desired outcome.

Organizations conduct force field analyses and construct force field diagrams to provide a roadmap for action plans. As they analyze the positive and negative forces that influence change, business leaders can see how their current state of equilibrium is not caused by inaction but by equal doses of opposing actions.

When companies use force field analysis tools to kick off a new initiative, they enter the process already understanding the current balance of power, the driving forces that can propel change, and the resisting forces that could slow change to a halt. This cache of knowledge will guide leaders’ decision-making as they chart a path forward that embraces driving forces and steers around resisting forces.

Use these examples to see how a force field analysis can guide an organization’s decision-making:

• Revamping a website: Picture an e-commerce company that has thought of refreshing its website. It could use force field analysis tools to chart how likely they are to go through with the revamped site. Driving forces might include new technology that makes a site rebuild more manageable and external factors like better websites popping up from competitors. Restraining forces to the proposed change might include a high price tag, the risk of site bugs degrading the user experience, and internal satisfaction with the current situation—a website that still functions perfectly well.
• Stadium construction: Imagine a city considering building a new stadium for its sports team. Rather than list pros and cons or commission a SWOT analysis, the city can use a force field analysis to chart forces that might move a stadium initiative forward or kill it entirely. Driving forces might include the team chipping in for construction costs, real estate developers’ interest in building condos around the stadium, and a deadline imposed by the sports league to either approve a stadium or risk losing the team. Resisting forces include taxpayer groups who oppose any public spending and environmentalists who fear the impact of construction on the city’s waterways.

You can conduct a force field analysis diagram on a computer, a whiteboard, or a piece of paper. Follow these steps to analyze the forces both driving change and preventing change in your organization:

1. 1. Draw a force field analysis diagram. Construct your force field analysis by drawing three vertical columns. Your center column summarizes your desired outcome. Your leftmost column will contain your driving force for change. Some people like to illustrate these columns with arrows pointing inward toward the column that summarizes your desired change.
2. 2. Write down your desired change. In your middle column, write down your desired outcome. You can use complete sentences or outline your objective using bullet points.
3. 3. Write down the driving forces. In your left-hand column, list the driving forces—money, new technologies, social movements, personnel, and more—that can drive you toward your desired change.
4. 4. Write down the opposing forces. In your right-hand column, list the restraining forces—individuals, financial situations, special interest groups, social inertia, and more—that might halt your change and entrench the status quo.
5. 5. Analyze the forces. Evaluate the competing forces on each side of your force field analysis diagram. Pay attention to the raw number of forces on each side and the quality of those forces. (For instance, small groups of dedicated activists in a political campaign may not have the same power as large groups of less vocal people who see an issue differently.) Upon regarding the forces pushing in each direction, you should develop a clear sense of whether you should or should not move forward with a change initiative. If you decide to proceed, your force field analysis tool will help you navigate potential conflicts as you push toward enduring change.

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