Force Field Analysis

Force Field Analysis is a tool to aid in decision making when many variables are present. It can be used individually, within a group, or through a survey.
Resource Type: 
  • Guide
Topic(s): 

    REFERENCES

     

    Bassard, M., Ritter, D.(2010). The Memory Jogger 2. Tools for Continuous Improvement and Effective Planning.Second Edition.Salem, NH: GOAL/QPC

    Institute for Healthcare Improvement.  Open School.  Force Field Analysis

    http://www.ihi.org/education/IHIOpenSchool/resources/Pages/AudioandVideo/Whiteboard19.aspx.  Retrieved 20 June 2017

    Lewin, Kurt (May 1943). “Defining the ‘Field at a Given Time'”. Psychological Review. 50(3): 292–310. Republished in Resolving Social Conflicts & Field Theory in Social Science. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1997.

    Sollecito, W. A., Johnson, J. K. (2013). Continuous Quality Improvement in Health Care Fourth Edition.Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

    Spath, P. L. (2013). Introduction to Healthcare Quality Management, Second Edition.Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

    “Summary of Lewin’s Force Field Analysis”. ValueBasedManagement.net. 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2017

    REFERENCES

    Introduction

    The force field analysis is often used to identify the forces in place that either support a change or work against a change. Other ways that it is used include:

    • To present the “positives” and “negatives” of a situation for comparison.
    • To force people to think together about all aspects of making the desired change.
    • To assist in honest reflection on the underlying roots of issues.
    • To uncover all possible ramifications of implementing a change.

    Materials Needed:

    • Sticky notes or index cards and tape
    • Markers
    • Large surface area (worktable, flip chart, whiteboard, blank wall, etc.)
    • Team members

    How To Use Force Field Analysis:

    Focus:

    Determine the "change" or "idea" to examine.

    Assemble:

    Gather a team for brainstorming.

    Describe your Ideal State:

    Agree on the proposed change and write a description of the ideal state you would like to achieve. This can be done through a facilitator who records as people share ideas, or through individuals writing ideas on sticky notes and placing them on the graph. In either case, a facilitator is recommended. Example of a blank document:
    write alt text, caption and description for attached images

    Identify Driving Forces:

    Through brainstorming, identify the "driving forces" toward the change. Be as specific as possible. These can be internal (i.e. need to increase market share, board and staff support, need to increase profitability) or external (i.e. new regulations, changing demographic needs, increased competition).

    Take Notes!

    Record these on the left-hand side of the diagram.

    Identify Restraining Forces:

    Through brainstorming, identify the "restraining forces" against the change. These can be internal (i.e. fear of unknown, existing organizational structure, lacking the technology to support the change) or external (i.e. existing commitments to partners, obligations to customers, fear from patients).

    And Note!

    Record these on the right-hand side of the diagram.

    Assign Degrees of Influence:

    Assign scores based on the degree of influence each one has on the plan. An example is to use one (1) for weak and four (4) for strong. The team should come to a consensus through discussion or by using voting methods such as Multi-voting or Nominal Group Technique. Example:
    write alt text, caption and description for attached images

    Analyze and Apply:

    Based on discussion and analysis decide which supportive forces can be strengthened or which opposing forces can be weakened to make the change more successful.

    Using Improvement Methodology:

    Utilize an improvement methodology such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) to carry out your improvement efforts.

    Alternative Implementation Techniques

    Alternative 1: Public Posting

    • Allows more staff to participate in the process
    • Useful when meetings are difficult to schedule
    • Allows more time to complete the process

    Materials Needed:

    • Large surface area
    • Sticky notes (2 colors)
    • Markers

    How do I do it?

    1. Display a large, highly visible, blank Force Field Analysis chart in a prominent work area.
    2. Provide the “Proposed Change” statement on the chart.
    3. Encourage staff to post both “Driving Forces” and “Restraining Forces: as well as the ranking number. Use different colors for driving and restraining forces.
    4. After a specified period of time, convene staff (or a team) for further discussion.

    Alternative 2: Survey

    • Allows more people to participate in the process
    • Useful when meetings are difficult to schedule
    • Useful when seeking input from people outside the organization
    • Allows more time to complete the process

    Materials Needed:

    • Cards or paper or electronic survey
    • Means of distributing and collecting surveys

    How do I do it?

    1. Develop a template as shown in the example below that includes the ideal state and the proposed change statement.  
    Completed force field analysis for implementing a self-service Human Resources system. The left column lists four driving forces (e.g., increases control, faster execution), scored 11 total. The right column lists three restraining forces (e.g., cost, training needs), scored 7 total. The ideal state at the top describes enabling staff to self-manage personal HR information.

    2. Distribute to the staff and/or customer asking for their input on both the driving and restraining forces.

    3. Ask them to rank each item as defined in the instructions above.

    4. Provide a means of collecting the surveys.

    5. After a specified period of time, convene staff (or a team) for further discussion and analysis and action.

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