methodatlas
Method guideDecision Making

Force Field Analysis

A practical method guide: clarify prerequisites and materials, understand the complete process, and look up outputs, pitfalls, and stop criteria.

ComplexityLow
Time45-90 min
Participants3-12
FormatWorkshop
MaturityCanonical
Plan Force Field Analysis
01

Prerequisite

What needs to be finished first

Complete firstDecision-ready scope

Current and desired states are described observably.

Without clear scope, the result becomes an arbitrary collection without decision value.
Complete firstRelevant perspectives

Representatives of affected roles and current process data are available.

Without them, material forces, options, or objections remain invisible.
02

Preparation

What needs to be ready before start

Materials

Force-field workspace, evidence register, 1–5 strength anchors, and action log.

People / roles

Change owner · affected roles · facilitator · domain expert

Pre-read

Collect change target, baseline, and known conflicts in advance.

Time needed

75–90 minutes

Setup

Prepare target in the centre, drivers on the left, restraints on the right, and visible strength anchors.

03

Core question

The one question this method answers

Which driving and restraining forces sustain the current state, and where can a responsible intervention work?

04

Flow

Phases with goal, actions, output and pitfall

Lewin's Force Field Analysis treats the current state as a quasi-equilibrium. Forces receive direction, actor, observable mechanism, and justified relative strength; numbers are ordinal, not physical measurement.

Force field map

Fictional worked example

Target state in the centre; forces, evidence, and interventions remain distinct.

Force field map
ChangeDriving forceRestraining forceEvidence and strengthIntervention
Save decisions within 24 hComplete one real force row with separate evidence.Audit duty increases documentation pressure.Five note locations fragment the flow.Audit finding; 4/5. Process observation; 5/5.Test shared form with two teams.

  1. 1. Driving force

    Save decisions within 24 h
    Audit duty increases documentation pressure.

  2. 2. Restraining force

    Save decisions within 24 h
    Five note locations fragment the flow.

  3. 3. Evidence and strength

    Save decisions within 24 h
    Audit finding; 4/5. Process observation; 5/5.

  4. 4. Intervention

    Save decisions within 24 h
    Test shared form with two teams.

1–5 are ordinal strength anchors, not additive measurements.

ASQ: Force Field Analysis

  1. 1

    Target state

    Target state

    Goal

    Produce change frame so “Which driving and restraining forces sustain the current state, and where can a responsible intervention work?” can be answered with evidence.

    Inputs for this step

    • Change target and current state

    Actions

    • Describe current state, measurable target state, and boundary.
    • Mark evidence, assumption, and open question directly.

    Output

    change frame

    change frame with evidence, owner, and next decision.

    Quality check

    Are baseline, target, and horizon observable?

    Pitfall

    A slogan replaces a measurable target state. Add baseline and target measure.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

  2. 2

    Forces

    Forces

    Goal

    Produce force inventory so “Which driving and restraining forces sustain the current state, and where can a responsible intervention work?” can be answered with evidence.

    Inputs for this step

    • change frame

    Actions

    • Silently collect driving and restraining forces and state their mechanism.
    • Mark evidence, assumption, and open question directly.

    Output

    force inventory

    force inventory with evidence, owner, and next decision.

    Quality check

    Does every force name actor, direction, and mechanism?

    Pitfall

    Wishes or actions are recorded as forces. Return to observed cause and effect.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

  3. 3

    Strength

    Strength

    Goal

    Produce prioritised force field so “Which driving and restraining forces sustain the current state, and where can a responsible intervention work?” can be answered with evidence.

    Inputs for this step

    • force inventory

    Actions

    • Rate forces relatively with common 1, 3, and 5 anchors and mark evidence.
    • Mark evidence, assumption, and open question directly.

    Output

    prioritised force field

    prioritised force field with evidence, owner, and next decision.

    Quality check

    Are strength and influenceability separate?

    Pitfall

    Ordinal values are added and read as an exact forecast. Use values only for ordering and read the rationale.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

  4. 4

    Interventions

    Interventions

    Goal

    Produce intervention plan so “Which driving and restraining forces sustain the current state, and where can a responsible intervention work?” can be answered with evidence.

    Inputs for this step

    • prioritised force field

    Actions

    • Define safe intervention, owner, test, and guardrail for pivotal forces.
    • Mark evidence, assumption, and open question directly.

    Output

    intervention plan

    intervention plan with evidence, owner, and next decision.

    Quality check

    Does each action address the evidenced mechanism?

    Pitfall

    A stronger driver unintentionally increases pressure or risk. Check side effects and choose reversible tests.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

05

Artifact

What comes out at the end

Sketch: what the artifact looks like

Force Field Analysis · Kurt LewinTreibende und hemmende Kräfte rund um einen Zielzustand sammeln, gewichten und daraus Interventionen ableiten
Force Field AnalysisDas Visual zeigt treibende und hemmende Kräfte mit Gewichtung rund um einen Zielzustand und eine Intervention.Veränderung als Balance aus Treibern und Bremsen lesenForce Field Analysis zeigt, welche Kräfte den Zielzustand unterstützen und welche ihn zurückhalten.treibende Kräftehemmende KräfteGewichtungSponsor4Kundendruck3Quick Wins2Legacy-System4Skill Gap3Müdigkeit2Zielzustandneuer Arbeitsmodus ist eingeführtInterventionTreiber stärken, Bremsen gezieltschwächen
Form

Versioned map with actor, mechanism, evidence, strength, influenceability, and intervention for every force.

Versioning / ownership

Retain date, scope, sources, assumptions, and decision for each version.

Tool alternatives
  • Force-field matrix
  • evidence register
  • intervention log

force-field-analysis-working-template.md

Plan the session around the canonical method steps and a concrete decision.

Force Field Analysis: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Full session Time: 75–90 minutes

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

  • Materials: Force-field workspace, evidence register, 1–5 strength anchors, and action log.
  • Roles: Change owner · affected roles · facilitator · domain expert
  • Advance information: Collect change target, baseline, and known conflicts in advance.
  • Overall time needed: 75–90 minutes
  • Setup: Prepare target in the centre, drivers on the left, restraints on the right, and visible strength anchors.

Prepare for the work steps

Target state: Target state

  • Change target and current state

Forces: Forces

  • change frame

Strength: Strength

  • force inventory

Interventions: Interventions

  • prioritised force field

Force field map

ChangeRecord Driving forceRecord Restraining forceRecord Evidence and strengthRecord Intervention
Save decisions within 24 h
  • Save decisions within 24 h: Complete one real force row with separate evidence.

Record actor, mechanism, source, and uncertainty for every force.

ASQ: Force Field Analysis

Target state: Target state

Expected artifact: change frame

change frame with evidence, owner, and next decision.

Entry:

...

  • Are baseline, target, and horizon observable?

Forces: Forces

Expected artifact: force inventory

force inventory with evidence, owner, and next decision.

Entry:

...

  • Does every force name actor, direction, and mechanism?

Strength: Strength

Expected artifact: prioritised force field

prioritised force field with evidence, owner, and next decision.

Entry:

...

  • Are strength and influenceability separate?

Interventions: Interventions

Expected artifact: intervention plan

intervention plan with evidence, owner, and next decision.

Entry:

...

  • Does each action address the evidenced mechanism?

Open questions and next steps

...

Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/force-field-analysis/run-sheet

06

Example output

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional example for orientation. Counts and timings describe this case and are not universal requirements.

force-field-analysis-beispiel.md

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional example: target is to save 80% of review decisions with an owner within 24 hours. Driver: audit duty, strength 4/5. Restraint: five separate note locations, strength 5/5. Intervention: test a shared decision form in two teams; success ≥70% complete entries with no longer review duration.

07

Pitfalls

Recognize symptoms and steer against them

Quick overview, the full text is in the matching phase in the flow

  1. Target stateA slogan replaces a measurable target state.View in phase
  2. ForcesWishes or actions are recorded as forces.View in phase
  3. StrengthOrdinal values are added and read as an exact forecast.View in phase
  4. InterventionsA stronger driver unintentionally increases pressure or risk.View in phase
08

Stop criteria

When to pause, resolve prerequisites, or choose another approach

Pivotal forces have evidence, anchored strength, and a safe intervention.
Owner, next step, and review date are named.

Method after Kurt Lewin. Curated with 1 sources.

Sources: ASQ: Force Field Analysis

Flow, timeboxes, and pitfalls are editorially curated practice recommendations based on the listed sources.

Where to go next?

Paper illustration of RAID Log with a method-specific labelled workspace.
Delivery
RAID Log

Enters the planned interventions with owner and test into tracking.

Paper illustration for Working Agreements.
Agile
Working Agreements

Anchors an effective intervention as a new team rule.

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