Workshop Title:
A 'Walkthrough' of Public US Wellbeing Datasets
Instructors: Harry Brisson (GNHUSA, Mic Check Media)
Rob Moore (GNHUSA, Scioto Analysis)
Date and Time: Monday, August 10; 1:30pm-5:30pm
Location: University of Kentucky (room TBA)
Fee:
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$35 USD (ISQOLS Members)/$20 USD (Student, Retired, Developing Country ISQOLS Members);
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$50 USD (Non-ISQOLS members)/$35 USD (Student, Retired, Developing Country non-ISQOLS Members)
Workshop Description:
GNHUSA has been advocating for wellbeing measurement in the US for nearly two decades, and maintains a database of publicly available wellbeing-relevant indicators. This half-day workshop introduces participants to the WALKI (Worthwhile American Lives Key Indicators) framework, a U.S.-based wellbeing measurement system built on the 3,000 interviews collected during GNHUSA’s 10,000-mile Happiness Walk (2012–2019). The Walk asked Americans a simple open-ended question—“What matters most in life?”—and revealed eleven wellbeing domains. These domains emerged inductively from qualitative evidence, offering researchers a unique citizen-defined complement to existing frameworks like GNH, OECD BLI, or Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi.
This workshop is designed for students of all levels, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scholars seeking a practical overview of what U.S. public datasets can currently support wellbeing research. We introduce WALKI briefly, then dedicate most of the session to a domain-by-domain review of the strongest available U.S. metrics, their limitations, geographic granularity, and release schedules. Participants conclude with a hands-on exercise—building their own prototype wellbeing index —and a synthesizing discussion of which domains are well-served, under-served, or missing in U.S. measurement systems.
No coding experience is required. All exercises are designed to be inclusive to scholars across disciplines.
Required / Core Reading:
Optional Supplementary Readings:
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OECD Better Life Index Framework
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Stiglitz–Sen–Fitoussi Commission Report on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress
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World Happiness Report (methodology chapters)
GNH Centre Bhutan: The Nine Domains of GNH
Instructors:
Harry Brisson (GNHUSA, Mic Check Media)
Harry Brisson is a researcher and data scientist whose work spans wellbeing measurement, media analytics, and the design of tools that translate complex data into meaningful public insight. As co-creator of the WALKI (Worthwhile American Lives Key Indicators) framework, he focuses on developing empirically grounded approaches to understanding what Americans value most in life and how those values can be reflected in policy and institutional decision-making. His research draws on large-scale survey data, national public datasets, and innovative qualitative-to-quantitative methods inspired by GNHUSA’s 10,000-mile Happiness Walk. Harry has extensive technical experience building collaborative analytical systems, working across Python, cloud environments, and applied research workflows. Prior to founding Mic Check Media, he led research initiatives in industry and nonprofit contexts, bridging domains including public wellbeing, music and culture, and civic engagement.
Rob Moore (GNHUSA, Scioto Analysis)
Rob Moore is a public policy analyst specializing in cost-benefit analysis, social policy evaluation, and the use of wellbeing metrics in municipal and state decision-making. As founder of Scioto Analysis, he works with governments, nonprofits, and research organizations to design evidence-based policies that improve population wellbeing. Rob’s work emphasizes the practical application of frameworks like GNH, cost-effectiveness analysis, and wellbeing-adjusted metrics to real-world challenges in housing, economic mobility, public health, and community development. He brings experience translating complex research into actionable policy guidance, with a focus on equity, public transparency, and the integration of qualitative community-generated data. As co-facilitator of the WALKI workshop, Rob contributes expertise in connecting wellbeing domains to policy levers, interpreting federal and state datasets, and identifying measurement gaps that limit the effectiveness of U.S. wellbeing initiatives.
