Hi #SmartCommunity friends. Welcome back to this very special series here on the Smart Community Podcast, all about data storytelling, As part of my PhD research, I’ve been speaking with experts from all over the world who are using data visualisations and storytelling in real world projects to support decision making and advocacy.

In this episode of the Smart Community podcast I have a great conversation with friend of the podcast, Prof Marcus Foth. Marcus has been on the show twice before, in Episode 230 and also way back in Episode 4!

Marcus is a Professor in urban informatics and strategic design at the QUT School of Design at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. With extensive experience at the intersection of people, place, and technology, he leads research into smart city infrastructure adoption, sustainability approaches, and data governance issues.

In this episode Marcus tells us about his recent work analysing the Brisbane 2032 Olympics stadium controversy and how a community group used data from other stadiums to reveal that the narrative presented for the proposed stadium may not be telling the whole story. We talk about the role of sophisticated data visualisation consultancies in creating narratives that serve corporate lobbying interests over community needs and the how increasing accessibility of AI tools may help democratise data visualisation and address the skills, knowledge and resources gap for grassroots advocacy groups.

We talk about some impactful data visualisation examples from ABC’s investigative journalism that combat misinformation, as well as data governance challenges and lack of data literacy in the community. We finish our chat discussing Marcus’ perspective on the need for critical thinking when using new data tools and the importance of civic engagement in our democracy. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

What we cover in this episode:

• Marcus Foth’s background in urban informatics and his work at the intersection of people, place, and technology
• A case study of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics stadium controversy and how renderings misrepresent reality
• Site test analysis comparing the proposed Victoria Park stadium to existing stadiums like Perth’s Optus Stadium
• How artist renderings can deceive communities by showing impossible scenarios like mature trees next to stadiums
• The missing infrastructure in visualisations including evacuation routes, transport capacity and auxiliary facilities
• How data visualisations and narratives can be weaponised to support predetermined outcomes rather than inform genuine policy debates
• The “DAD principle” – Decide, Announce, Defend – and how data storytelling is used to defend pre-made decisions rather than explore options
• The potential for AI tools to democratise data visualisation and help community groups fight back against vested interests
• Impactful data visualisation examples from ABC’s investigative journalism that combat misinformation
• Data governance challenges including privacy, surveillance, bias and data sovereignty in smart city initiatives
• The contrast between corporate-driven smart city projects (like Google’s Sidewalk Labs in Toronto) versus grassroots approaches (like Barcelona’s model)
• The need for civic KPIs alongside commercial KPIs when measuring smart city success
• The declining capacity for civic engagement due to cost of living pressures and social constraints

Quotes:

“There is not just a lack of data literacy, there’s kind of a lack of the criticality needed of people looking at this and picking it up.”

“DAD principle stands for decide, announce, and then defend… So you kind of already decide to suit the stakeholders and corporates that need to be kept happy.”

“ There are renderings of what the stadium is going to look like. And these artist impressions are based on data [like] how many seats do we need, where’s it gonna be, at what costs…. And whilst it’s not a typical data rendering that is a spreadsheet, it actually tells a story.”

“A city isn’t just embedded around commercial KPIs, but it should have civic KPIs, that’s where the whole word civics comes from in the first place.”

“Go out there and have a go with the tools that are now available… but do so with a critical mind to be able to actually then ascertain how do we evaluate the outputs.”

Links:

SCP E230 Data Care and More than Human, with Marcus Foth

SCP E04: The nexus of people, place and technology with Marcus Foth

Brisbane 2032 Olympics stadium – ABC article

Sidewalk Labs Toronto project 

Barcelona smart city governance initiatives

Foth, M. (2025, Jun 3). Brisbane’s promise of a shimmery new Olympic stadium is part of a long bedazzling legacy of promises gone wrong. The Fifth Estate. https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/brisbanes-promise-of-a-shimmery-new-olympic-stadium-is-part-of-a-long-bedazzling-legacy-of-promises-gone-wrong/

Foth, M. (2025, Mar 31). Brisbane 2032 is no longer legally bound to be ‘climate positive’. Will it still leave a green legacy? The Conversation.https://theconversation.com/brisbane-2032-is-no-longer-legally-bound-to-be-climate-positive-will-it-still-leave-a-green-legacy-246672

Connect:

Connect with Marcus Foth on LinkedIn and here: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/m.foth

Connect with me via email: hello@mysmart.community

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or Twitter and watch on YouTube

Podcast Production by Perk Digital

This podcast is recorded on  Yugarabul country and edited on Gaibal country.   I pay my respects to traditional owners of country and their elders past and present. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today.  Here on the Smart Community Podcast, we talk about data, technology, communities and the future. First Nations peoples have been sharing knowledge, caring for country, and telling stories for tens of thousands of years.  I honour that deep connection of storytelling and community connection as we continue our conversation together here today.

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, and perspectives expressed by guests on The Smart Community Podcast are solely those of the individual speakers. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of the host, Zoe Eather, or of The Smart Community Podcast as a whole.

Any discussion of ideas, products, organisations, or services by podcast guests does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the host or the podcast. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions and seek professional advice where appropriate.