Force Field

When to use it

Use this tool to support decision-making by considering both the drivers and retainers that impact your project success.

What’s the purpose

This template helps you to identify what factors are holding back progress and what is driving you forward. By visualizing your current situation, you can structure a plan to make changes that will help you reduce restraining forces and increase driving forces to help keep your project moving forward.

How to do it

Begin by naming the template - what is it that you are trying to change?
Now, in the space provided in the template, brainstorm the driving and restraining forces associated with this change.
Give each identified force a score from 0-5 to reflect the impact it has on the project success, with 0 being low impact and 5 being high impact.
In the centre of the template space, between your drivers and restrainers, identify the ideas or actions that you think might help increase driving forces and reduce restraining forces. Consider rational factors, such as data, facts and tangible elements, as well as emotional factors, such as feelings, personalities and people, and motives.
Finally, under Proposed Change, select one best solution for each driving and restraining forces.

Helpful tips

After completing this template, it is useful to create an action plan using the ‘Who + Do’ or ‘Personal Action Plan’ templates to implement some of the ideas you generated to bring forward momentum back to your project.

Using this method in your day-to-day work

As you come across challenges in your day-to-day work where you feel as though you’re stuck and have lost forward momentum, the ‘Force Field’ template will help you to identify what is driving the need to move forward, as well as what barriers are standing in the way of progress.

It works well for initiatives and projects of any size and will help you create a tangible plan to restore positive momentum.