How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis (Free Tool & Template)

Organizational change is a constant challenge for companies in the digital age, from implementing new technologies to releasing new products to modernizing legacy applications (the list goes on).

To determine the impact of potential business process optimization projects and better prioritize change initiatives, enterprise companies rely on change management exercises like force field analysis to identify root causes of problems, understand the driving forces that promote positive change, and overcome the restraining forces that hinder its success.

In this article, we’ll explore the force field analysis exercise to help CIOs, change leaders, department heads, and application owners identify roadblocks and pillars of support and shorten the time needed for business ideation, decision, and implementation.

The History of Force Field Analysis

The concept of force field analysis traces back to Kurt Lewin, a pioneering social psychologist in the early-to-mid 20th century. Lewin developed it in the 1940s as part of his broader work on change management and group dynamics.

Lewin’s foundational theories about behavior and organizational change were built on the premise that human behavior is the result of opposing forces—those that drive movement toward a goal and those that resist change. Lewin believed that by understanding and managing these forces, change could be more effectively implemented and sustained.

The theory emerged as part of Lewin’s work in field theory, which conceptualized human behavior as part of a dynamic and interrelated system. He viewed change as a process that occurs within a “field” or environment, where forces either drive individuals or groups toward a desired state (driving forces) or hold them back (restraining forces). This concept laid the groundwork for Lewin’s Model of Change (Unfreeze, Change, Refreeze), which remains highly influential in change management today.

Lewin introduced force field analysis as a practical tool for applying these ideas in real-world settings, particularly in organizational and social change contexts. Over the years, it has been widely adopted across industries for strategic planning, organizational development, and change management, thanks to its simplicity and its focus on balancing forces to create sustainable change.

In modern times, force field analysis is still relevant and used by managers, change leaders, and consultants to navigate organizational transformation, assess complex situations, optimize business processes, and develop strategies that improve the likelihood of success.

Key Concepts of Force Field Analysis

The key concepts of force field analysis include ‘driving forces, ‘restraining forces’, and ‘equilibrium.’ Let’s explain each concept below:

1. Driving forces

Driving forces are the factors that push toward change. These are the motivations, incentives, or external pressures that support and encourage movement toward a desired goal or outcome. Driving forces emerge from various sources, including internal organizational needs, external market pressures, technological advancements, or leadership directives. They serve as the catalysts that create momentum for the change to occur.

Examples of Driving Forces:

• Organizational goals, like improving efficiency or profitability.
• External market competition or regulatory requirements.
• Advances in technology that require modernization.
• Leadership’s vision for innovation or cultural change.
• Employee demand for better work conditions or flexibility.

In force field analysis, driving forces are identified and strengthened to enhance the likelihood of successful change.

2. Restraining forces

Restraining forces are the factors that work against change. These are the obstacles, resistance, or limitations that hinder progress toward a desired goal. Restraining forces can stem from individual fears, group resistance, organizational inertia, or even external constraints. They often manifest as reluctance to adopt new methods, a preference for the status quo, or fear of the unknown.

Examples of Restraining Forces:

• Employee resistance to change due to fear of job loss or changes in responsibility.
• Lack of resources, such as time, money, or technology.
• Organizational culture that discourages innovation or risk-taking.
• Poor change communication or unclear objectives.

In force field analysis, restraining forces must be addressed and minimized to reduce resistance and ensure the change initiative moves forward.

3. Equilibrium

Equilibrium represents the current state or balance between the driving and restraining forces. It is the status quo, the point at which neither side has enough force to overpower the other, resulting in a lack of change. If the driving forces and restraining forces are equal in strength, no movement occurs. Change only happens when this balance is disrupted by either increasing the driving forces or reducing the restraining forces.

How Equilibrium Works:

• In a state of equilibrium, an organization remains stagnant because the forces pushing for change are being counteracted by those resisting it.
• Shifting the equilibrium requires altering the balance—either by amplifying the driving forces (creating more pressure for change) or by reducing the restraining forces (lessening opposition).

In force field analysis, understanding where equilibrium lies helps change leaders design strategies that either strengthen the push for change or reduce barriers to change, ultimately shifting the balance in favor of progress.

How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis

Here are the six steps to help you complete a force field analysis and make a business decision.

1. Define the objective of your change project

Perhaps you’re trying to implement new software, going through a merger, or having a change in leadership. In all cases, the first step to effective change management is defining the expected outcomes.

What do you hope will happen if the organization goes through the proposed change? Write that down in the middle of your force field analysis template.

2. Identify and list all driving forces for the change

Driving forces are the factors that support the expected outcomes you desire. In Lewin’s model, these are considered a positive influence and can be internal or external.

Internal driving forces of change include:

• Outdated product lines
• Old machinery
• Diminishing employee morale
• Declining profitability

While external driving forces could include:

• Rapidly changing industry
• Disruptive technologies
• Increased competition
• Changing demographic trends

Think about as many driving forces as you can that would help affect change, and list them down on the left side of your template. You can turn to your internal team or consult change agents specializing in organizational change management.

Use some of these questions to help you arrive at the answers:

• Who supports organizational change? Who may be against it?
• Do you have the necessary resources to bring change?
• What are the costs and risks involved with the change?
• Which processes will be impacted by the change?

3. Identify and list forces pushing against the change

Forces against the change, or restraining forces, are factors that will resist the change and make it harder for you to attain your desired outcome. Similar to driving forces, restraining forces can be internal or external.

Internal forces against the change include:

• “Don’t fix what’s not broken” mentalities
• Fear of the unknown
• Existing processes and workflows
• External restraining forces could include:
• Commitments to investors and stakeholders
• State or local laws
• Customer obligations

Write as many forces you can think of down on the right side of your force field analysis chart.

At the end of this step, your force field analysis should look something like this:

4. Assign each force an impact score

Each force has a varying degree of influence on the expected outcome. To accommodate this, score each individual restraining and driving force a score from one (weakest) to five (strongest) to showcase which forces have the most impact.

Below is an example of what this will look like:

5. Propose solutions to positively influence the forces

Effective organizational change involves strengthening the driving forces and eliminating or weakening the restraining forces that oppose change.

Based on your evaluation, you can identify which forces may be weakened and which you can strengthen.

For instance, in the example above, you could:

• Train staff to minimize the fear of new technology adoption
• Invest in tools that provide in-app guidance to your end-users, whether its customers or employees.
• Buy new machinery to make your maintenance costs even lower
• Make sure the new machinery is sustainable to reduce your environmental impact

These solutions help swing the balance in your favor and make change implementations and transitions smooth.

6. Create a change management plan

If your proposed solutions cannot help meet your goals, you may have to rethink your strategy.

But if your approach is viable, formalize your solutions in the form of a change management plan.

Your plan must include:

• The well-defined objectives of the change project
• Space for feedback from all stakeholders
• Upskill training sessions
• All the action steps you need to take
• Who’s responsible for each action step
• Timeline for each part of the plan
• Milestones you need to hit
• Resources at your disposal and ones you need

7. Leverage a proven change management model

Change management models are frameworks with specific guidelines that help you plan and implement a change project. Learning these models can help you adopt best practices and ensure the success of your organizational change.

You can use one, two, or a combination of these proven change management models that have been tested by other businesses and developed by experts:

• Lewin’s Change Management Model
• McKinsey 7-S Model
• Nudge Theory
• The ADKAR Change Management Model
• Kübler-Ross Change Curve
• Bridges’ Transition Model
• Satir Change Model
• Kotter’s 8-Step Theory
• Maurer 3 Levels of Resistance and Change Model
• Deming Cycle (PDCA)

While the specifics may differ, all these change management models have one thing in common; they’re employee-centric.

Centering your plans around your employees can have a substantial positive impact on the success of your change project. Consider their reaction and feedback to make them a part of the process. Give them a sense of ownership rather than treating them as bystanders.

Note: There is no best change management model because each business has unique needs. By taking the time to understand them all, you can determine which makes sense for you or take elements of each to create your own plan.

Force Field Analysis Interactive Tool

Applications of Force Field Analysis in Your Organization

Here are some applications of how force field analysis can be used for your organization.

1. Change management

Force field analysis helps organizations understand the forces driving a change initiative as well as those that resist it. By mapping out these forces, leaders can identify which factors need to be strengthened or minimized for successful change implementation. It provides a structured approach to managing resistance, ensuring that employees are heard and that their concerns are addressed, which is critical for the success of any change effort.

Here’s how to apply force field analysis for change management:

• Identify driving forces: List the factors pushing for change, such as leadership vision, competitive pressure, or new technologies.

• Identify restraining forces: Understand what is holding the organization back, such as employee resistance, outdated systems, or a lack of resources.

• Develop strategies: Increase the driving forces (e.g., through better change communication or incentives) and reduce the restraining forces (e.g., by offering change management training or addressing fears).

2. Strategic planning

In strategic planning, force field analysis helps organizations assess the factors that could impact the achievement of long-term goals. It allows decision-makers to weigh the pros and cons of a strategy and determine which forces will help push the organization toward its objectives and which forces will hinder progress. By analyzing these forces, organizations can create more realistic and actionable plans.

Here’s how to apply force field analysis for strategic planning:

• List driving forces: Market opportunities, technological advancements, or organizational strengths that support the strategic goals.
• List restraining forces: Competition, regulatory constraints, resource limitations, or internal inefficiencies.
• Adjust the plan: Strengthen the drivers of success (e.g., through investment in innovation) and mitigate the barriers (e.g., through resource reallocation or process improvement).

3. Risk assessment

Force field analysis is a useful framework for identifying and assessing risks during any organizational project or initiative. By mapping out the driving and restraining forces, leaders can identify potential risks and develop strategies to address them before they become significant issues. This approach also helps predict the likelihood of success based on the balance of forces.

Here’s how to apply force field analysis for risk assessment:

• Identify driving forces: Positive factors that mitigate risk, such as a strong safety culture, well-trained staff, or supportive policies.
• Identify restraining forces: Potential risks or vulnerabilities, like skill gaps, resource constraints, or external threats.
• Mitigate risks: Implement risk reduction strategies, such as increasing safety measures, enhancing employee training, or investing in new technologies to offset restraining forces.

4. Conflict resolution

Force field analysis helps organizations understand the opposing forces within a disagreement or conflict. It allows both sides to visually map out their concerns, motivations, and the issues driving the conflict. By identifying the driving and restraining forces behind the conflict, teams can focus on reducing the barriers to resolution while strengthening the forces that promote understanding and collaboration.

Here’s how to apply force field analysis for conflict resolution:

• List driving forces: Identify factors pushing for resolution, such as a shared goal, mutual respect, or a need for collaboration.
• List restraining forces: Determine the causes of conflict, such as communication breakdowns, competing interests, or lack of trust.
• Facilitate resolution: Work to enhance understanding and collaboration (driving forces) while reducing the causes of tension and miscommunication (restraining forces).

Example of Force Field Analysis

An organization wants to implement new project management software to improve collaboration, streamline processes, and increase efficiency. However, employees are resistant due to concerns about the learning curve, disruption of existing workflows, and potential technical challenges. To decide whether to proceed with the change, the organization uses Force Field Analysis.

Once the score is assigned for both driving and restraining forces, analyze the results:

• Driving Forces Total: +16
• Restraining Forces Total: -15

The overall score difference between the driving forces and the restraining forces is +1, which indicates that the forces are fairly balanced, with a slight tilt in favor of moving forward with the implementation.

Given the balanced nature of the driving and restraining forces, the organization needs to strengthen the driving forces and reduce the impact of the restraining forces to ensure the success of the change.

Actions to strengthen driving forces:

• Incentivize end-user training: To increase willingness to learn, offer incentives for customers and employees who complete training quickly, such as extra time off or a discount on a product subscription.
• Increase communication: Emphasize the benefits of the new system, particularly around efficiency and collaboration, to build excitement and reduce resistance.
• Management involvement: Ensure management continues to advocate for the change and actively participates in training sessions to model behavior for employees.

Actions to reduce restraining forces:

• Comprehensive training program: Develop a detailed training schedule that breaks down the learning process into manageable steps and provides ongoing support, reducing fears of the learning curve.
• Minimize disruption: Implement the software in phases, starting with non-critical projects, to minimize disruption to important work.
• Address technical concerns early: Assign a dedicated IT team to work on integration and troubleshoot issues before the full implementation begins.
• Manage employee resistance: Hold workshops or focus groups where employees can voice their concerns and get answers, helping to alleviate the fear of the unknown.

Free Force Field Analysis Template

Force Field Analysis FAQs

What are the benefits of using force field analysis?

Force Field Analysis provides a structured approach to decision-making by identifying and visualizing the driving and restraining forces for change. It helps organizations assess whether a change is feasible, develop targeted strategies to overcome resistance and enhance decision-making by clearly mapping out the factors at play.

What are the challenges and limitations of using force field analysis?

ome challenges include subjectivity in assigning scores to forces, the potential oversimplification of complex issues, and its focus on current forces rather than long-term impacts. Additionally, it may not capture all underlying factors influencing a change, especially in large or complex organizations.

What are alternatives to force field analysis?

Alternatives include SWOT Analysis (assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), PESTLE Analysis (evaluating political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors), and Stakeholder Analysis (understanding the interests and influence of key stakeholders). These tools can offer different perspectives on decision-making and change management.

Change Clicks Better With Whatfix

In conclusion, while Force Field Analysis provides a powerful framework for visualizing and balancing the forces behind change, successfully implementing change requires ongoing support and adaptability. This is where Whatfix Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) comes in.

Whatfix DAP enables application owners, IT teams, and change leaders a no-code editor to easily create contextual support tools like in-app Flows, Tours, and Task Lists that help end-users learn new software within the workflow. By integrating Whatfix into your change management strategy, you can minimize the impact of restraining forces like learning curves and technical challenges while maximizing driving forces such as employee productivity and adoption rates. Change not only becomes smoother but also more sustainable, empowering organizations to thrive in the face of transformation.

To learn more about Whatfix, schedule a free demo with us today!