CCnet
Poznań (Analysis of quality of life indicators)
1. Origin of the program
Quality of Life Indicators Program in Poznań was initiated by Poznań City Hall as one of components of a broader venture, which aimed to improve activities of the City Hall, broaden contacts between city inhabitants and the City Hall and obtain a better picture of inhabitants' life conditions. The base for this program was the belief that government of a modern city requires an effective system of communication between self - government institutions and its inhabitants.
Poznań City Hall together with Mayor of the City and Deputy Mayor of the City turned to Adam Mickiewicz University Rector with an offer to organise the new venture together. It aimed to prepare theoretical and methodological basis to measurement of quality of life indicators in Poznań, construction of standardised research tools and systematic measurement of a constant number of indicators.
During the meeting Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University suggested formation of a research team responsible for the whole venture. The research unit was called Quality of Life Centre.
2. Main aim of the program
Main aim of the research project is constant monitoring of changes in values of quality of life indicators for inhabitants of Poznań. For authorities, it gives opportunity to obtain a comprehensive image of city inhabitants living conditions basing on objective indicators (ex. number of thefts, burglaries, arrested criminals) as well as indicators, coming from the research which investigated inhabitants attitudes and opinions (ex. feeling of personal safety in the streets). This survey integrates data, which is crucial to making decisions, into a form of few synthetic, standardised and clear indicators. It provides synthetic image of inhabitants needs and expectations connected with trends of current city ventures and with evaluations of authorities and municipal institutions services. Moreover, it stimulates communication with inhabitants and helps to construct programmes connected with public relations, which are based on objective indicators (including stimulation of the city image in local media).
3. Organization of the research project
The essence of this research is the process of systematic gathering of set of indicators. Aspects of life, which are chosen from the whole measurement, must meet two criteria.
First, they should be crucial to inhabitants and second, they should be in area of influence of local authorities. Only these two criteria ensure precise measurement of the indicators, and the influence on them during given authorities' term. Priority spheres of interest are usually chosen basing on sociological research conducted among inhabitants, on one hand, and extensive consultations with experts, authorities' representatives, on the other hand.
The whole project covered a few comparatively autonomous research ventures:
- Theoretical studies on putting into operation the notion of "quality of life of inhabitants of the city" in a form of set of subjective indicators, based on public opinion research and set of objective indicators, which come from research and materials, which already existed (year 2001).
- Qualitative research (interview and focus group interviews FGI) orientated on the choice of the aspects of life in the city, that are believed to have the greatest influence on inhabitants quality of life, in their own opinion (year 2001).
- Quantitative research of the public opinion aiming to verify the set of indicators crucial to inhabitants and establishing initial standards for these indicators (year 2001).
- Desk research connected with materials and documents already existing, which are orientated on construction of objective quality of life indicators in the city, complementary to subjective indicators (year 2002).
- Research with experts aiming to verity the set of indicators, which come from qualitative and quantitative research conducted among groups of inhabitants with regard to functioning of the City Hall (year 2002).
- Construction of a statistical model for integrated indicators and description of statistical procedures (year 2002).
- First measurement, which was conducted with the aid of standardised research tools, and then followed by calculation of basic indicators values, calculation of integrated indicators values, and establishing standards in research with experts (year 2002).
- Second measurement and following ones, comparison of changes in indicators values, description of trends (since 2003).
Research methodology In the research project there were the following gaining data techniques used: focus group interview FGI, individual in - depth interview IDI, research with experts, interview with standardised questionnaire, desk research.
Research tools In the research project there were the following research tools used: script for FG, script for IDI, standardised questionnaire, script for desk research
4. Selection of domains
There were three steps in selection of main social life and inhabitants experience domains for the Quality of Life programme in Poznań.
First, a few dozen of research programmes, previously prepared for other cities, were put under analysis with respect to domains chosen for these projects.
Second, sets of life domains were compared to experiences connected with two following research programmes: "Life in Poznań 1997" and "Life in Poznań 2001". 16 Life domains emerged as a result of this comparison.
Third, 16 life domains were compared to groups of opinions expressed by inhabitants, who participated in the research. As a result of this comparison it was decided to substantially reorganise investigated life domains and order them according to criteria of importance, which were reconstructed from inhabitants opinions during quantitative research projects.
Final list of city life domains, that were measured in the project: living conditions, transportation, safety, environment, living standards, health, leisure, work, education, civic Poznań
Within each life domain, which was measured there were main aspects determined, and within these aspects - indicators.