GNHUSA · ISQOLS Workshop
The WALKI framework — Worthwhile American Lives Key Indicators — and the data that can measure it today.
Harry Brisson (GNHUSA, Mic Check Media) · Rob Moore (GNHUSA, Scioto Analysis)
2271 coded responses are mapped and browsable — quotes in this deck link straight to the recordings at happinesswalk.zagwa.org.
Share of responses touching each domain. Responses carry 1–3+ domains, so shares sum past 100%.
Metric examples are drawn from Penlight (penlight.wardwise.org), a working wellbeing metric system built for Chicago — the portability tags say what would carry to your city. Full domain-metric census: GNHUSA WALKI metrics sheet.
Domain block 1 of 3
Physical Environment · Physical Health · Time Balance · Material Wellbeing
“I want to know where it came from; local is always where we need to go.”
“Freedom to do what you want to do is something that makes me happy”
“People think happiness comes from money, but I don't think so.”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
A federal source — the same metric could be built for any US city.
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
What measures of physical environment do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“If you got health, you got everything.”
“What matters most in life is connection, to feel like somebody hears you.”
“My kids, definitely. Definitely.”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
Nothing modeled for this domain yet — small-area estimation from national microdata (GSS, ATUS, BRFSS…) is the open opportunity here.
What measures of physical health do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“What matters most in life is connection, to feel like somebody hears you.”
“What matters most is having a clear understanding of our core values”
“God is my creator, and my job is to love the people he put on the earth.”
No point-of-interest metrics in the Penlight catalog yet — this domain is measured through polygons and models (next slides). That gap is itself a finding.
What measures of time balance do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“The best thing is to ask local people what they need.”
“Money would answer that, so would the whole social injustice”
“Life is too short not to try that.”
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
What measures of material wellbeing do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
Domain block 2 of 3
Psychological Wellbeing · Education · Religion & Spirituality
“A healthy mental state is most important in life.”
“You take a step back, look internally, and develop from there.”
“What matters most is having a clear understanding of our core values”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
What measures of psychological wellbeing do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“It's a combination of human nature and dollars and cents in this economy.”
“Forgiveness is what people talk about and have regrets about at the end of their life”
“Happiness to me is trying to live my life in my terms.”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
Nothing modeled for this domain yet — small-area estimation from national microdata (GSS, ATUS, BRFSS…) is the open opportunity here.
What measures of education do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“My first priority are my children and kindness.”
“What matters most is finding out how to connect”
“What matters most is God, my husband, my son, my grandchildren.”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
What measures of religion & spirituality do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
Domain block 3 of 3
Social Connectedness · Community Vitality · Culture · Good Governance
“What matters truly is the relationships between people that I hope I can carry beyond my career.”
“What matters most in life is connection, to feel like somebody hears you.”
“My first priority are my children and kindness.”
No point-of-interest metrics in the Penlight catalog yet — this domain is measured through polygons and models (next slides). That gap is itself a finding.
What measures of social connectedness do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“My kids, definitely. Definitely.”
“Freedom to do what you want to do is something that makes me happy”
“I think too much. I'm an overthinker.”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
What measures of community vitality do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“I like for my children learn school, college after”
“I think for me it's more mostly family.”
“What matters most is having a clear understanding of our core values”
A global source — this could be built for any city on earth.
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
Nothing modeled for this domain yet — small-area estimation from national microdata (GSS, ATUS, BRFSS…) is the open opportunity here.
What measures of culture do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
“Joy is when you keep your priorities straight: Jesus, others, yourself.”
“It's a combination of human nature and dollars and cents in this economy.”
“Faith is very important, I guess those would be the two.”
A Chicago-specific source — another city would need to find its own.
Nothing modeled for this domain yet — small-area estimation from national microdata (GSS, ATUS, BRFSS…) is the open opportunity here.
What measures of good governance do you know — or wish existed?
Datasets, surveys, admin records, sensors, clever proxies — all fair game. We’ll collect these in the closing discussion.
Discussion: how might we better capture data for the domain you care about?
Thank you — now let’s build your index.