Overview
Force field analysis helps you to decide whether or not to make a particular decision or change by identifying factors (forces) for and against, and the relative importance these factors play in the overall decision.
The tool
Why use it
- Identify the pressures for and against making a decision or change.
- Help weigh up decisions.
- Identify areas where support for a decision or change needs to be strengthened and where opposition needs to be weakened.
- Help communicate reasons for making a decision.
How to use it
- List all factors for and against the decision / change you are interested in.
- Score each factor based on its influence / importance.
- Add up all the individual scores to give overall scores for and against making the change or decision to see which comes out on top.
- As an optional and additional next step, the output of the analysis can be used as a starting point for planning how and where to strengthen support for change and for planning ways of managing resistance.
Useful prompts when identifying forces to include in the analysis are:
- What will the business benefits of the proposed change be?
- What are the disbenefits of the change?
- Who supports the change, and why?
- Who opposes the change, and why?
- Time pressures and constraints.
- Resource issues.
- Costs.
- Are there any likely to be any impacts on other business processes?
- Risks.
- Reputational issues.
Strengths
Force Field Analysis can be helpful in communicating the reasons for making a particular decision.
Weaknesses
Be careful when carrying out the analysis as scoring may be subjective and not an accurate reflection of actual forces and pressures.