Annex 5-B SIP Guide

FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS1

1.
2.

Start with a well-defined objective or change to be implemented.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Draw a force field diagram.

Write the objective or change to be implemented at the top of a large sheet of paper.
Divide the paper into two columns by drawing a line down the middle.
Label the left column "Driving Forces". Driving forces are factors that support the
change in the desired direction.
Label the right column "Restraining Forces." Restraining forces are factors that
resist the proposed change and maintain the status quo. 2

Example:

FORCE FIELD DIAGRAM

OBJECTIVE:
To increase the no. of school-age children enrolled in school
DRIVING FORCES

3.

4.

RESTRAINING FORCES

Brainstorm a list of driving and restraining forces and record them on the chart in the
appropriate column.Refer to the outputs of the External and Internal Analysis.

Use the information on opportunities and strengths as basis for identifying the driving
forces.

Use the information on threat and weaknesses as the restraining forces.

Once the driving and restraining forces are identified, ask the following questions:

1 The steps that follow are adapted from

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/force-field-analysis
2 As defined in http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/force_field_analysis.pdf

Are they valid?

How do we know?
How significant are each of them?
What are their strengths?
Which ones can be altered? Which cannot?
Which forces can be altered quickly? Which ones only slowly?
Which forces, if altered, would produce rapid change?
Which only slow change in the situation?
What skills and/or information is needed and available to alter the forces? Can we
get them?
5.

Assign a score to each force using a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning weak and 5
meaning strong. The score is based on:
a. The strength of the force
b. The degree to which it is possible to influence the force
The scores will help the group in prioritizing interventions.

6.

Devise a manageable course of action or intervention that:

Strengthens the driving forces
Removes or Weakens the restraining forces
Creates new driving forces

Below is an example of a field force analysis:

OBJECTIVE:
To increase the no. of school-age children enrolled in school
DRIVING FORCES

The CCT Program provides support to

households to enable them to send their
children to school (5)
Increased budget of LGU for education
(5)
The school has been receiving directly
its MOOE (4)

RESTRAINING FORCES

Financial constraints of households (5)

Households often require the children to
work in the farm (2)
Many children have no birth certificates
(1)

PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS:
1.
2.

Strengthen and expand the CCT program in the community.

Leverage more resources from LGUs to help address backlogs in basic resources, e.g. for
the construction of additional classrooms