A secondary school decided to change their traditional

classrooms in to smart classrooms.

For introducing this change effectively one should
get an insight into the existing system,

for that they should understand the factors

favouring and opposing the change.

Force field analysis will help them in this regard.

KURT LEWIN’S FORCE Dr. Niyaz Ahmad
Assistant Professor
FIELD ANALYSIS AIKC College of Education
FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
oUseful decision making and problem solving tool.

oDeveloped by Kurt Lewin.

oHe was mainly concerned with child psychology.

oHe is considered to be the founder of “Action Research”.

FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
oThe main notion of the force field analysis is the force field.

oAny living systems exist in two states.

oFollowing are the states of these systems:

1. Every living system is in the state of change

2. Every living system always tends towards some level of
stability or equilibrium.
FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
oThis equilibrium is kept in balance by a field of forces acting in
different directions:
oSome towards change and others towards stability.

oAs long as these forces balance each other the system remains in
equilibrium.
oIf one set of forces becomes stronger than the other then change
either takes place or is resisted so that the status quo remains intact.
FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
oForce field analysis is a map of a change situation where there are
forces driving for change and there are forces restraining change.
oFor example, the driving forces needed for a school to change its
traditional classrooms into smart classes are techno savvy teachers,
competitions with other schools or a felt need for a change.
oExamples of restraining forces could be cost, infrastructure or an
unwillingness to move from what is familiar.
FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
oFollowing are the categories of driving and restraining forces:

• Economic
• Political
• Technological
• Socio-cultural
• Individual
• Group
• Organizational
STEPS IN FORCE FIELD
ANALYSIS
oStep 1: Define the target of change in terms of a direction
from the current situation to a desired future situation.

oFor example, a shift from the traditional classrooms into

smart classrooms is the change desired in the institution to
meet the challenges of digital world.
STEPS IN FORCE FIELD
ANALYSIS
oStep 2: Map the forces driving change and restraining
change.

oAn example of a driving force might be the need for change

coming from the digital world with a parallel restraining
force being the lack infrastructure proposing the change.
STEPS IN FORCE FIELD
ANALYSIS
oStep 3: Identify and weight the forces. Driving forces and restraining
forces do not have the same power or weight. Some driving or
restraining forces may be much stronger than others. So the key is to
weight them so that the more powerful forces are identified.

oIn the above example, weighting the lack of infrastructure as being

more impactful than time factor for its implementation in the force
field’s equilibrium.
STEPS IN FORCE FIELD
ANALYSIS
oStep 4: Identify the restraining forces that can be reduced. In line
with Lewin’s insight about reducing restraining forces, select those
restraining forces that are more important or amenable to being
reduced.

oIn the above example, reducing the lack of infrastructure would be

the key to change.
STEPS IN FORCE FIELD
ANALYSIS
oStep 5: Develop a plan of action to reduce the restraining
forces.

oFor example, what would need to be done to reduce the lack

of infrastructure?
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL

oLewin’s change model has 3 steps

LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
a. Unfreezing
o Finding a method of making it possible for people to let go
of an old pattern that was counterproductive in some way.
o This is the stage where the desire to change occurs, or at
least the recognition that change is needed.
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
a. Unfreezing

oAn example is moving from a traditional teacher centred

classroom to a student centred classrooms.
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
a. Unfreezing
oUnfreezing the present Forces that maintain current behavior are reduced
through analysis of the current situation.
oImperatives for change are realized through dialogue and re-educational
activities such as team building, personal development, and brain-storming.
oThe more transparent and inclusive the process is, the more readily people
move through the unfreezing stage.
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
b. Moving
oThe second stage involves a process of change–in thoughts, feelings,
behavior, or all three,
oThat is in some way more liberating or more productive than doing
things the old way.
oDuring this stage, the people involved (change target group) are
convinced that the new way is better than the old.
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
b. Moving
oHaving analyzed the present situation, new structures and
processes are put in place to achieve the desired
improvements.
oThis is the most time-consuming, costly, yet productive
stage as far as tangible results goes.
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
c. Refreezing

oThe third and final stage consists of establishing the change

as a new habit or process, so that it now becomes the
“standard operating procedure” or status quo.
LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL
c. Refreezing
oWithout some process of refreezing, it is easy to backslide
into the old ways of doing things.
oRewards, support, and champion leadership continue to be
important through this stage, which is essentially ongoing
until the next major change is needed.
ADVANTAGES

oAnalysis technique to identify forces

oHelps to analyze ways to minimize barriers which acts as

barriers in achieving the goal.
oPromotes in individual growth and development.
LIMITATIONS

oRequires collaborative thinking

oAll aspects of the problem may not be identified or taken

into account.