Force Field Analysis

Force Field Analysis is a technique developed by Kurt Lewin that involves the identification of forces that could drive a change and forces that could be obstacles to that change. Force field provides a framework for looking at the factors (forces) that influence a situation, originally social situation. Force will be useful when looking at variables involved in planning and implementing a change program and will undoubtedly be of use in team building projects, when attempting to overcome resistance to change. Analysis is a quick and easy way to assess and create change strategies because it takes into account the people, technical and organizational factors that affect a situation. In a force field analysis you have to weigh the pros and the cons. The problems are framed in terms of factors of pressures that support the status line (restraining forces) and those pressures that support change in the desired direction (driving forces) A factor can be people, resources, attitudes, traditions, regulations, values, needs, desires, and etc.

Driving forces are those forces affecting a situation that are pushing a particular direction; they tend to initiative a change and keep it going. In terms of improving productivity in a work group, pressure from a supervisor, incentive earnings, and competition may be examples of driving forces. Restraining forces may be likened to walls or barriers. Forces acting to restrain or decrease the driving forces. People who are comfortable with the current strategies and don’t like change.

In order to carry out a force field analysis one must do the following strategies. The first procedure is to define the problem, what is the nature of our current situation that is unacceptable and needs modification? Separate the specific problems from those things that are working well. Two will be defining the change objective, what id the desired situation that would be worth working towards? Be as specific as possible; look into resources and other materials to help working towards the desire change. Three identifying the driving forces, what are the factors or pressures that support change in the desired direction? What are the relative strengths of these forces? What conditions, attitudes, beliefs, event or processes currently exist that will support the change? Fourth will be identifying the restraining