Unique Poll to Measure Quality of Life in Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, La. – Lafayette Parish residents who want to help improve quality of life in the community are being encouraged to “answer the call.” A literal call. Taking approximately 15 minutes, a quality-of-life survey will be conducted through both landlines and cell phones across Lafayette Parish.
One Acadiana has commissioned the survey through Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, a nationally recognized independent polling firm. The survey will kick off in mid-October, asking residents about key factors impacting quality of life, including economic conditions, job security, educational opportunities, cultural opportunities, and safety.
“This is a unique opportunity for Lafayette Parish residents to give their perspective on the place they call home,” One Acadiana’s President & CEO Troy Wayman said. “This baseline survey will collect objective data that will shed light on the community’s strengths and opportunities to improve. Then, going forward, the same survey will be conducted annually so we can track how we’re improving over time.”
Quint Studer, an expert in building vibrant communities who shared lessons with Acadiana leaders at One Acadiana’s Vibrant Community Summit in June, says starting with objective data is valuable for many reasons.
“Objective data helps your community challenge assumptions and make decisions based on facts,” says Studer. “When you diagnose before you treat you can make sure you’re solving the right problems. Solutions can be costly, so you don’t want to make mistakes. It also gets people focused and creates a sense of urgency.
“This is a great way to promote civic engagement,” he adds. “Good objective data gives you the information you need to start a real conversation about the future of the community and start building momentum and excitement.”
“During our Vibrant Community Summit, Quint spoke about the importance of conducting an objective survey to better understand community perceptions around quality of life. One Acadiana is committed to gathering that data in an impartial and impactful way,” Wayman said. “Citizens will be playing an important role by answering the call and taking the survey. By having this objective data, we can shine a light on the bright spots and more clearly see what needs improvement. As Quint said, ‘What gets measured gets improved.’”
Through the survey, Mason-Dixon aims to reach 625 Lafayette Parish residents, which will provide results with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. A wider geography than Lafayette Parish would have increased the margin of error too much for this survey, but One Acadiana plans to work with leaders in other Acadiana parishes who might be interested in doing a similar survey in their community.
One Acadiana will hold an event with Quint Studer in Downtown Lafayette on Dec. 15 to present the survey results to the public.
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About One Acadiana
One Acadiana is the leading economic development organization for the nine-parish Acadiana region located in south Louisiana. With more than 600 investors, members, and partners, One Acadiana serves as the voice of the regional business community. The organization is located in the city of Lafayette and serves a region of nearly 700,000 people with a vibrant culture and unique entrepreneurial spirit. Learn more at OneAcadiana.org.