Hi #SmartCommunity friends,

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening.

In this episode of the Smart Community Podcast, I speak with Professor Martin Tomitsch, Head of the Transdisciplinary School at UTS, about the evolution and future of human-centred design.

Martin shares how human-centred design has shaped technology and innovation over the past few decades, why we need to critically reflect on its unintended consequences and how we can ensure emerging technologies like AI remain grounded in diverse human perspectives and ethical design practices.

We discuss dark patterns, persuasive technologies, social media, circular economy opportunities and the importance of designing not just for users, but for communities and society more broadly.

As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect with Martin via LinkedIn and the UTS website.

Connect with me via email: hello@mysmart.community

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The Smart Community Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

Public transport is often seen as infrastructure. But what if it’s actually one of our most powerful tools for building connected, equitable and thriving communities?

In this episode, Zoe Eather is joined by Lauren Streifer, Chief Executive of the Public Transport Association for Australia and New Zealand, to explore the evolving role of public transport in shaping better cities.

Lauren shares her journey into the sector and unpacks what it really takes to make public transport the easy and desirable choice, from reliability and frequency to customer experience, branding and technology.

They also discuss the shift towards more people-focused cities, the role of public transport in addressing climate and equity challenges, and why improving access can have a profound impact on health and social connection.

This podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi peoples and edited on the lands of the Gaibal peoples. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today

We’re kicking off a new monthly “Future Of” series on the Smart Community Podcast, exploring what’s changing across industries and what it means for our communities.

In this episode, Zoe Eather is joined by Colin Kinner to explore the future of startups.

They unpack what defines a startup, how Australia’s startup ecosystem has evolved and how AI is lowering the barriers to building and scaling new ideas. Tools like Replit and Lovable are enabling non-technical founders to create products faster than ever before.

But as access increases, so do the challenges.

From AI slop and data privacy risks to the changing nature of work, this conversation explores both the opportunities and the tensions shaping the startup landscape.

They also connect startups back to smart communities, highlighting their role in economic diversification and building more resilient regions.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.