Happy Wuppertal – Measuring Individual and Community Well-Being on the Urban Scale

Abstract

In this paper we will present lessons learned and examples of empirical findings from an app-based survey in the City of Wuppertal, Germany. The app consists of several complementing modules that look into the individual well-being and community wellbeing of the citizens of Wuppertal. Within 12 months the central questionnaire has been answered 1799 times in full by different individuals. The app is very well known within the city due to partnerships with local enterprises and media. Some first steps towards using the app in decision making have been taken and will be extended. The experience shows great potential of such an approach both for research and new forms of participation but also some challenges in consistently motivating citizens to participate. The results of the survey confirmed some known factors influencing happiness but also showed some interesting patterns relevant both to local decision making and further research.