DATASTORIES · Data Stories: Producing stories about and with property and planning data

Planning and property data are the key evidence base for how cities are understood, planned and developed, informing public perception, guiding investments, and shaping policy. Yet, little critical attention has been paid to planning and property data and their lifecycles, circulation, politics, power and use in policy and stakeholder decision-making. This lacuna raises two important challenges that require redress if the validity of analysis, interpretation and decision-making is to be improved. First, transforming the ontological and epistemological understanding of planning and property data amongst those that utilise them. Second, fostering a reflexive approach to data politics and power in organisations that produce, share and use planning and property data. DATASTORIES will tackle these challenges by conducting research in a creative, highly engaged way with key stakeholders across three domains (state, business, NGOs/civil society). It will develop an innovative methodological approach that blends social science and research-creation methods, working with creative writers and artists, to map an entire data ecosystem (Dublin, Ireland), unpack data assemblages and produce a variety of data stories. 12 in-depth case studies will produce 36 data stories about and with planning and property data. The project will produce four key advances: new knowledge about the evidence-base for planning and property and its use; critical insight into the politics and praxes of data; novel research-creation methods and an assessment of their efficacy; and an extended conception of data stories and an understanding of their production and utility for different audiences. DATASTORIES will produce three ground-breaking impacts: conceptual – transforming the epistemology of planning and property research; applied – positively influencing the data processes and practices of key stakeholders; methodological – validating research-creation and data stories as social sciences methods.