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DEVELOPING NEW BUSINESS IDEAS step two: cluster the forces into themes Move into a convergent
phase of thinking, finding clusters of themes, combining ideas where
you can. At the end of this step, a helpful approach is to divide your
writing surface with a vertical rule and list the driving forces on the left
and the restraining forces on the right.

step three: evaluate the forces The next task is to evaluate the
relative impact of each force. Suppose that Gary Mueller had created an
early version of a force-field analysis for Internet Securities, Inc., then
his analysis might have included the elements shown in Figure 6.4. As
the simple hypothetical model shows, the best approach is to reflect the
relative weight of the force in the relative length of the arrow. This
allows the major driving or restraining forces to be immediately
evident.

Driving forces Restraining forces

Good contacts in Easy-to-imitate
Warsaw stock business model
exchange
Stock-price-focused
No current provider of competitors
detailed, up-to-date
financial analysis

Good access to Polish Arrival of analysis-
financial journalists focused competitors

Growth in Polish Limited ICT
stock market infrastructure
in Poland
Growth in inward
foreign investment Lack of funds to
commission
bespoke software

Figure 6.4 Force-field analysis for Internet Securities, Inc.’s launch into
Poland

technique 3: commitment chart The commitment chart

develops further the idea of positive and negative forces which affect
implementation, particularly as they apply to specific stakeholders. It is
a particularly useful tool, therefore, for considering the likely impact of
innovations within organisations, as well as for independent start-ups.