Quality Improvement Zone

Force Field Analysis is a collaborative tool that helps teams understand the factors that may support or hinder a proposed change. By exploring these influences, teams can determine whether to go ahead with a change and identify areas that need to be strengthened, addressed or monitored to increase the likelihood of successful improvement.

Force Field Analysis is commonly used to support change and improvement initiatives. It helps teams consider the wider system around a proposed change, including the people, processes, resources, relationships, policies and priorities that may influence success.

The tool examines two types of factors:

• Driving forces: factors that support or encourage the proposed change
• Restraining forces: factors that may make change more difficult or need to be addressed before implementation

The purpose of Force Field Analysis is not to label factors as simply positive or negative. Different perspectives can provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with a proposed change.

Introducing change can be challenging, particularly when teams have different perspectives, concerns or expectations. Force Field Analysis provides a structured way to explore these views and develop a shared understanding of the factors that may influence success.

Force Field Analysis can help you:

• determine whether to go ahead with a change
• understand readiness for change
• explore different perspectives within a system
• identify factors that may support or hinder change
• surface potential risks, concerns and constraints early
• build stakeholder engagement and shared ownership
• identify actions that could improve the likelihood of success

The discussion involved in identifying and exploring the forces is often more valuable than the final scores themselves. The goal is to develop a shared understanding of what may influence change.

Force Field Analysis works best as a collaborative exercise involving people who understand the system and those who will be affected by the proposed change. Including a range of perspectives can help create a more complete picture of the factors influencing success.

1. Define the proposed change

Clearly describe the change. Write this in the centre of your page, whiteboard or template. This provides a shared focus for the discussion.

2. Identify the driving forces

Discuss the factors that support or encourage the proposed change.

Examples might include:

• a recognised need for improvement
• leadership support
• available resources
• positive stakeholder engagement
• external drivers or policy requirements

Record each factor on one side of the diagram.

3. Identify the restraining forces

Discuss the factors that may make change more difficult or need to be addressed before moving forward.

Examples might include:

• limited capacity
• competing priorities
• knowledge or skill gaps
• concerns about workload
• uncertainty about the benefits of change

Record these on the opposite side of the diagram.

4. Explore and score the forces

Work together to assess the relative influence of each factor. Many teams use a scale of 1 (weak influence) to 5 (strong influence). Some also use arrows of different sizes to visually represent strength.

Remember that the discussion and shared understanding generated through scoring are often more valuable than the total scores themselves.

5. Identify opportunities for action

Review the forces and consider:

• Which driving forces could be strengthened?
• Which restraining forces could be reduced or addressed?
• Which issues require further exploration or engagement?
• What actions could improve the likelihood of successful change?

6. Use the findings to inform improvement

Use the analysis to support planning and decision-making. The findings may help inform:

• whether a change is viable
• stakeholder engagement activities
• project charters
• risk management plans
• communication plans
• testing and implementation strategies

This tool can be used beyond simply deciding whether to proceed with a change. The tool can support better understand of the system around the change and identify actions that can improve the likelihood of achieving and sustaining improvement.