HOW optimistic do the Scottish public feel about the future? How well do we think the economy will perform over the next 12 months? How much do we trust the organisations that provide the essential services we rely on?

These are all important questions which have not been measured regularly in Scotland and which Understanding Scotland seeks to quantify, analyse and monitor. In providing this data and insight on a regular basis, we hope to inform government and decisionmakers about what citizens are thinking and how attitudes are changing over time.

The rationale for launching Understanding Scotland in late 2021 encapsulates these points; filling gaps in our understanding of public attitudes and how these vary between different sections of society, creating a time-series which allows us to measure, understand and anticipate change over time, and contributing analytical insight which can feed into our national conversation on a range of key issues.

Understanding Scotland covers our attitudes and behaviours under three main headings: society, economy and environment. Our regular focus on society spans questions from wellbeing and satisfaction with our lives, trust in institutions and organisations, and the issues that are most concerning the public in Scotland.

Our economic insights cover the extent to which people feel optimistic or pessimistic about both the economy as a whole as well as their own household finances, and satisfaction with income – an issue we recently reported as being particularly important in light of rising prices – as well as wider perceptions of whose interests the economy works in.

Our environmental focus covers issues such as the urgency of climate change, responsibility for tackling environmental problems in our communities and beyond, and how much confidence people have in us meeting our environmental goals.

In order to maximise the impact of our insights, Understanding Scotland must be robust and timely as well as being regular. Undertaking a large-scale survey of at least 2,000 adults in each quarter means that we can understand how demography and geography can impact on attitudes and behaviours, from large urban conurbations to small island communities and between Scots of different ages and backgrounds, recognising that opinions and experiences in Scotland are not homogenous.

Our increasingly fast-paced and changing world makes Understanding Scotland’s timeliness invaluable. Publication of the data and insights happens within weeks of the survey fieldwork, maximising the newsworthiness of the findings and our confidence that they represent the most up to date snapshot of public opinion.

Over time, Understanding Scotland should become a regular and important feature of our national conversation, widely anticipated and received. If our policymakers, businesses and charities want to make the most effective decisions, it is vital that they appreciate and recognise what the public is thinking.

Our hope is that Understanding Scotland will enhance our appreciation and understanding of public attitudes, stimulate conversation and debate, and provide decision-makers with the key data and insights they need.

Mark Diffley, founder and director of the Diffley Partnership