Case Study

Orlando Economic Planners

REGIONAL VISIONING
Government + Public Policy

Planning economic growth based on residents’ needs and values.

THE CHALLENGE

As the Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) worked to understand how the region was evolving, they needed clarity on how residents perceive quality of life today, how those perceptions have shifted over time, and what people believe the future holds. Their questions spanned views of the local economy, personal and regional priorities, and how these vary across counties. With nearly a decade of tracking data and a rapidly changing regional landscape, OEP needed a refreshed, insight‑driven view of residents’ values—one that could guide economic partners in making aligned, forward‑looking investments.

OUR STRATEGY

We developed a multi‑step research program designed to capture both the emotional and practical drivers shaping residents’ outlook. We began with a framing phase to ground the research in existing demographic, transportation, societal, and environmental trends. We then conducted qualitative exploration through BrightBoards and one‑on‑one interviews to identify emerging priorities and ensure regional buy‑in. Building on these insights, we fielded a comprehensive quantitative values and priorities survey to update trend data, assess shifts since 2014, and incorporate the themes surfaced in the qualitative work.

IMPACT

Our analysis revealed that while most tracked perceptions remained stable or improved from 2014 to 2021, residents’ emotional connection to quality of life shifted—from optimism toward increased stress and worry. The findings underscored a clear need for investment in regional transportation, which emerged as a shared and urgent priority across counties. Armed with this deeper understanding of resident sentiment, OEP gained a focused, evidence‑based view of the region’s most important priorities. The insights equipped economic partners with a roadmap to invest more strategically and address the issues residents believe are most essential to Orlando’s future.