Force Field Analysis Tool
The tool I use in Stage One (Get Ready) of the JUMP! Innovative Change Model™ to build awareness of barriers to progress is called the “force field analysis tool.” Now don’t confuse this with something out of Star Trek or Star Wars! The forces to which I refer are those that are holding you, your group, or your organization in a state of equilibrium (see the template below). There are driving forces that are perfectly offset by restraining forces.
This tool was originally developed by Kurt Lewin in the early 1950s (long before Yoda was a household word!), and I’ve adapted his marvelous work to be part of the JUMP! tool set…
Click For Full-Sized Version
I use this template as a tool to help identify what’s holding you back from reaching your targets. It could be that a driving force isn’t strong enough or that a resisting force is too powerful. In either case, it’s highly useful to use the force field analysis tool to objectively “name” your barriers to progress.
What is the Force Field Analysis Tool?
As the old saying goes, “Change is Inevitable, but Progress is Optional…” The Force Field Analysis Tool is used to identify the positive (or driving) forces that support progress, and the negative (or restraining) forces that serve as barriers to progress. It gives groups a tool that develops a list of candidate initiatives that will serve to move the organization, group, or individual in positive future directions. In addition, its structured method sets the stage for developing an action plan to reduce resistance to proposed changes.
The concept behind the Force Field Analysis Tool involves the notion that organizations, groups, and individuals have an equilibrium between driving and restraining forces – in other words, they have a “well-oiled” machine designed to deliver exactly the results they are getting. However, in order to move forward to pursue the “most preferred scenario” for the future, things need to change. It is possible to add fuel to driving forces and make them more powerful – just as it is possible to mitigate or eliminate the effects of a restraining force, Anecdotally-speaking, it takes about 10x the energy to “fuel-up” a driving force to overcome restraining forces as compared to the energy needed to mitigate or eliminate the effects of a restraining force.
Force Field Process (60 minute exercise)
Before the Exercise:
Set-up the room using round tables, 6-7 seats to a table. Ensure each table has an easel and flip chart, several multi-colored pens and 20-30 sheets of blank 8.5×11 copier paper. Instruct the attendees to capture everything on flip charts – as the facilitator will need to use those flip charts to prepare meeting notes that will be circulated throughout the group.
Starting the Exercise:
Get everyone’s attention, and explain the process we will be using for the next 60 minutes or so. We will use the output from the “Most Preferred Scenario” to begin this exercise (This is another STAGE ONE tool in the JUMP! Innovative Change Model™ — CLICK HERE. The first activity will be to prioritize the elements of the most preferred scenario that are have the highest value to you. The entire group will use a brainstorming process and “dot voting” activity to create a list of 6-8 elements from the most preferred scenario that should be worked during the Force Field Analysis exercise.
- Brainstorming exercise: facilitator asked for the group to “shout out” the elements of the most preferred scenario that have the highest value. The facilitator will capture each idea, one at a time on flip chart paper, until the group either runs out of ideas, or about 10-12 ideas have been captured (whichever comes first). This brainstorming activity should take no more than 10 minutes.
- Following the capture of the ideas, the facilitator will ask the group to go through a “dot-voting” process to rank the ideas. Each person will be given five votes (either as actual sticky dots, or by using colored markers to make “five marks” next to the items them feel are most valuable. This dot voting activity should take no more than 5 minutes.
Force Field Process
Once the top 6-8 elements have been identified, the table teams will be assigned specific elements to address. Each table team will “take the lead” on working two of the elements (if there are three tables, the top six will be worked… If there are four tables, all of the top eight will be worked).
The table teams will use the template included on at the top of this page to capture the driving and restraining forces associated with each idea. Each team will spend about 7 minutes brainstorming the driving / restraining forces associated with each idea. Then, the table teams will switch the forms. Table 1’s forms will go to table 2, table 2 to table 3, etc. Then, each of the forms will be reviewed by the next table team – and each table team is given FULL license to add, remove, change, etc. anything on the form. This process will continue until the original table team receives their original form. Each review process will be no more than 3-4 minutes. As such, the rotation looks like this in a four table team configuration:
First 20-22 minutes
- 7-minute brainstorming by each of the four table teams – first idea.
- 3-minute activity to select the top 3 or 4 “forces” with the potential of delivering the best possible results (could be either adding fuel to a driving force or mitigating / eliminating a resisting force)
- Shift forms from 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 1.
- 3-minute review
- Shift forms again
- 3-minute review
- Shift forms again
- 3-minute review
- Shift forms back to original table team – 3 minute review, 2-minute “report out” to the entire group
At this point, ALL groups have had a chance to weigh in and comment… Four ideas have been worked.
Next 20-22 minutes
- 7-minute brainstorming by each of the four table teams – second idea.
- 3-minute activity to select the top 3 or 4 “forces” with the potential of delivering the best possible results (could be either adding fuel to a driving force or mitigating / eliminating a resisting force)
- Shift forms from 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 1.
- 3-minute review
- Shift forms again
- 3-minute review
- Shift forms again
- 3-minute review
- Shift forms back to original table team – 3 minute review, 2-minute “report out” to the entire group
At this point, ALL groups have had a chance to weigh in and comment… Eight ideas have been worked.
Summary
The final activity in the force field process is group endorsement of the top “Forces” for each of the most preferred scenario elements. This endorsement process is “not” designed to be a voting activity – instead it is designed to be a group-based decision using the language, “Can we live with our decisions tonight?” The “endorsed forces” become input to subsequent steps (Incubate, Aha! and Make It Real) included in the JUMP! Innovative Change Model.
Sample: Completed Force Field Analysis Template
The image below shows a sample of a completed Force Field Analysis template – following the brainstorming and group evaluation process. Click on it for a full-sized example.
Click for Full-Sized Version
After the Process
Remember, the Force Field Analysis Tool is used simply to “Identify” the forces that are driving / hindering progress. No action will be taken yet related to these forces – that’s the purpose of the subsequent steps. Yes, I know — I can hear the griping from the “but we just need action” types out there. And no, you can’t “do” anything with these forces yet. Remember, don’t collapse your probability waves prematurely!
