Evaluating Community Preferences

Abstract

This paper describes a new method of research developed by Social and Community Planning Research during the past eighteen months. The aim of the research was to arrive at measurements of community preferences so that priority values could be quantified. The method relies on interviews with groups of people who have differing experiences of the variables under study. During the course of the interview, they are asked to play a priority evaluation ‘game’ using an electronic device built for that purpose. This approach extends traditional attitude survey measurements by allowing and ensuring that respondents understand the concept of trade-off preferences.