3. Forces of Change Assessment (FOC)

During this phase, participants engage in brainstorming sessions aimed at identifying forces—such as trends, factors, or events—that are or will be influencing the health and quality of life of the community and the local public health system. The forces identified through this process, together with the results of the other three MAPP Assessments, will serve as the foundation for the next MAPP phase—Identify Strategic Issues.

Recommended Participants and Roles:

• Core Support Team or subcommittee—designs and prepares for the Forces of Change brainstorming process and compiles and records the results of the session.
• MAPP Committee—conducts the brainstorming process. Additional participation from key leaders in the community may be recruited but should not be necessary if committee membership is sufficiently diverse.

Overview of the Steps for the Forces of Change Assessment:

1. Prepare for the Forces of Change Assessment by identifying a facilitator and location and designing the session. Give each MAPP Committee member a copy of the Brainstorming Worksheet to use in preparation for the discussion.
2. Conduct a brainstorming session with the MAPP Committee and other participants. Develop a comprehensive list of forces of change by asking participants to focus on events, trends, and factors that come easily to mind. Then simplify and categorize the list.
3. Identify possible impacts—potential threats and opportunities—for each force. Add new forces to the list as they become apparent.

FOC Overview
Find an overview of the steps necessary for this phase.                                         

In-depth Guidance
Download full text of this phase as a PDF