Measuring quality of life in municipalities

After the introduction of the Quality Of Life program in Helsingborg in 2016, the city requested an innovative and sustainable follow-up model. Through the collaboration between the city and RISE metrological expertise, this request is now responded to by the collaborative development of a research-based measuring model that build on principles for quality-assured measurements and offer an improved, nuanced decision basis for efforts towards increased and more equal quality of life in the city of Helsingborg. The goal is to support policy planning with valid and understandable data so that the city's operations can steer towards the goal of increasing the quality of life for the people of Helsingborg. The follow-up model must also lay the foundation for a clear, user-friendly and communicative tool that can contribute to national and international comparisons of people's quality of life.

The project approach is based on the need to understand quality of life in a multidimensional way where both objective and subjective measures contribute to creating a clear picture of the many aspects that quality of life consists of. A starting point is therefore to measure both individuals' overall quality of life and society's conditions for continued quality of life. This may for instance include how individuals perceive their current social relations as well as the availability of accessible spaces for social interactions.  

With its ambitious focus on designing policies around well-being, Helsingborg functions as a first test bed of how quality of life can be measured, followed up and used as a policy goal. The collaboration process between RISE and the City of Helsingborg is a value-creating joint learning process that contributes to experimental development and innovation in public policy and add new practical insights to the field of quality-of-life research.

With increased knowledge and understanding of the complexities as well the possibilities with measuring and making sense of multidimensional measures, the opportunities to challenge norms and systems and test ground-breaking ideas to achieve goals of increased quality of life for all increase.