Force Field Analysis

Force-field analysis is one of the primary principle used in business development, process management, decision making scenarios and social sciences and was found by one of the pioneer in the field of social sciences, Kurt Lewin. This has time and time proved many business models how powerful a simple methodology which overviews different forces acting on a potential change and for assessing their source and strength. The principle of force field analysis is that in any change/situation (driving forces) is at any given condition/point because of counterbalancing forces (restraining forces) are keeping it 

that way.

The driving forces are the forces acting on a situation that are supporting the state or condition and the restraining forces are those restraining the driving forces. The approach is to achieve the equilibrium in change situations – which is driving forces to be stronger than the restraining forces. Lewin’s model included 3 important steps. First one is unfreezing, which is reducing the strength of forces that has been maintaining the current equilibrium. Next one is moving, which develops new organizational values, attitudes, ideas that will help the situation move on. Final one is refreezing, which stabilizes the situation after the changes implemented.

The force field analysis process is implemented on a particular issue or change with the group of people analyzing the situation. The members of the group would identify and list down the driving and restraining forces affecting the issue or change which needs to be implemented. But the users need to define the target of change before outlining the forces affecting it. The target of change is written in the box and all the driving forces are written on it left side, while the resisting forces are written on the right side. The driving and resisting forces are then sorted out with the magnitude ranging from one (lowest) to five (highest). This would help the team to analyze the imbalance in the equilibrium. Then the team would researches around the forces and would determine the changes needed to strengthen then driving forces and weaken the restraining forces. This helps the team to record and review where there is consensus on an action or way forward. The team would finalize what actions/plan needs to be done/changed to achieve the situation/change intended. This Field-force analysis also helps to create alternate methods to support value based management eventually.