About us
We are the facility within Queensland University of Technology's Research Infrastructure (QUT RI) portfolio dedicated to supporting research into public discourse on important societal issues. Our unique fusion of computational/data expertise and understanding of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) allows us to provide cost-effective and bespoke research project support. Our team also bolsters grant applications and showcases project capabilities, giving your project a competitive advantage.
The computational and governance methods required to use and manage human-related data can be daunting to researchers, especially those in the Business, HASS and Health disciplines. We streamline this process for researchers, providing ready-to-analyse data, analytics deliverables, and guidance on digital data practices and methodology.
Simply put, we tackle data challenges so researchers can focus on their research challenges.
Using our services
The Digital Observatory collaborates with researchers and organisations to determine their data and analytical requirements, allowing them to focus on their analysis and interpretation.
The Digital Observatory is committed to keeping costs low for researchers by only charging on a cost-recovery basis.
Capabilities
We operate and maintain a databank (incorporating the Australian Twittersphere) and offer data-related services provided by data scientists and data engineers.
Data infrastructure and development
- Design and implement project-specific research data workflows
- Assist with collecting, storing, and tidying data from the web
- Build and maintain open-source and bespoke software to aid with data collection
Data science
- Assist with data tidying, pre-processing, analysis, and visualisation
- Assist with text analysis methods including topic modelling, sentiment analysis, and network analysis
- Build and maintain open-source and bespoke software to aid with data processing and analysis
Databank and Data governance
- Provide curated data from existing databanks such as the Australian Twittersphere and NewsTalk
- Provide guidance and advice on data governance associated with human-related data from the web (e.g. reviews, comments, forums, social media data)
Case studies
Our staff
Our collaborators
The Digital Observatory is affiliated with the QUT Centre for Data Science, QUT Digital Media Research Centre and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society.
