Dawn of the Podcast Designer

07/31/20 • 20 min

1 Listener

Ep.06 -- Dawn of the Podcast Designer

Kyle talks about Podcast Designer as an emerging discipline and how it will be a vital skill for any studio focused on podcast content creation.

Episode at a Glance

Podcast design is an act of communication. However, a common mistake made by most podcasters is thinking of ourselves as only audio communicators. We’re fortunate to speak the audio language fluently, but we need to be able to translate that thinking into visual and performance mediums as well. In other words, we need to be bilingual. But not in the way you would expect. If you are bilingual, it means you are fluent in two languages. However, using bilingual in the context of audio communication AND visual and performance mediums is a little more nuanced. And it is the cornerstone of good podcast design.

Notable Quotes

"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense." -- Thomas Edison

Presented by Create Art Podcast

To get your art muscles strong enough to start designing podcasts, you need to listen to the Create Art Podcast. If you're like me and crave creativity, art, and learning how to find your artistic muse, then you need to join my good friend Timothy Kimo Brien as he takes a deep dive into the world of creativity with the Create Art Podcast.

About NES

Not Easily Squished, hosted by Kyle M. Bondo, talks about Audio Experience (AX) Design and the emerging discipline of Podcast Design. Learn how to take your fragile podcast concept and transform it into a fierce audio experience that is Not Easily Squished!

NES is a Gagglepod Studios Production

Thank you for listening! Be sure to check out the other Gagglepod Studios shows including Podwrecked, PAUSE for Dramatic Effect, and Create Art Podcast -- you can find all of these and more at Gagglepod.com

Go create something great!

Ep.06 -- Dawn of the Podcast Designer

Kyle talks about Podcast Designer as an emerging discipline and how it will be a vital skill for any studio focused on podcast content creation.

Episode at a Glance

Notable Quotes

"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense." -- Thomas Edison

Presented by Create Art Podcast

About NES

NES is a Gagglepod Studios Production

Go create something great!

Previous Episode

I, Podcast

Ep.05 -- I, Podcast

Kyle takes a page out of the essay I, Pencil, and discovers how uninhibited creative energies led to the miracle of the podcast industry.

Episode at a Glance

You may have thought about everything that goes into enticing someone to press play, but have you ever thought about the design decisions that have led up to the play button itself? There is a whole world of cooperation between people, far apart and personally unbeknownst to each other, that allows your podcast episode to reach your listener.

This podcast industry is a marketplace that performs miracles almost every moment of every day. Today, you and I are going to take a journey. I am going to walk you through the day in the life of a podcast episode -- from ideation to listener. There are three major segments all acting in concert with each other to form what I see as the reference model to the current layout of what we CALL the Podcast Industry. These three smaller industries consist of Production, Distribution, and Consumption.

If these three smaller industries did not act in coordination with each other, podcasting would not exist. I've created a diagram of this model to help conceptualized as you follow along.

[PDF] Podcast Industry Model

NES Design Master: Leonard E. Read

Today’s Master is Leonard E. Read. Mr. Read (who lived from 1898–1983) established the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) in 1946 and served as FEE’s president for 37 years. He was a strong defender of American liberty with a specific focus on individual freedom and private property rights. This is what led him to author 29 books and hundreds of essays.

But is his powerful yet simple essay titled, “I, Pencil: My Family Tree” published back in 1958, that is his most famous work. For over 60 years hundreds of thousands of Americans of all ages have read (or heard) this simple and beautiful explanation of the miracle of the “invisible hand” by following the production of an ordinary pencil. If you are new to “I, Pencil” -- Please check out the link in my show notes to both the PDF version of the essay and an Audio version provided by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE).

Although a few of the manufacturing details and place names have changed, the principles endure. I love the principles found in "I, Pencil" -- especially when you can apply them to improving your podcast design.

Notable Quotes

"Leave all creative energies uninhibited." -- Leonard E. Read

"[Markets are a] configuration of creative human energies. [Thousands] of tiny know-hows, configuring naturally and spontaneously in response to human necessity and desire. And in the absence of any human masterminding." -- Leonard E. Read

"We are perishing for want of wonder, not for want of wonders." -- GK Chesterton

Presented by Create Art Podcast

About NES

Podcasting Starts with an idea: an idea that is not easily squished! However, long before their creators ever sit down at the microphone, a podcast idea needs to hardened, tested, and found worthy. This goes beyond just content creati...

Next Episode

Podcast Design Builder Game

BONUS 01: Podcast Design Builder Game

Kyle introduces the Podcast Design Builder Game that can be played to strengthen your creativity by forcing you to come up with a podcast idea based on established constraints.

Download the Game

Podcast Design Builder Game v0.3 [PDF]

How to Play the Game

The host invites 2-4 guests to create 10 design requirements (5-10 minutes).
Each of the guests spends some time creating a rough podcast idea (5-10 minutes).
Everyone shares their rough podcast idea with the host asking clarifying questions.
Everyone then explores each other’s creation (Pros/Cons, Open Forum).
If there needs to be a winner, the host, the guests, or the audience decides.

Rules of the Game

#1 – Roll dice to determine their TEN Podcast Design Requirements

The Host rolls (1D20, 1D10, 1D6) to determine the 10 podcast design requirements.

#2 – With the Requirements, take 5-10 minutes to develop a PODCAST PROTOTYPE:

Provide Detail to each Requirement
Define Their Topic
Define Their Target Listener

#3 – Give your Podcast a NAME:

This podcast is called...

#4 – Guests present their PODCAST PROTOTYPE high-level WHY Statement/Synopsis:

What is this show about (high-level)?
Who’s it for (target audience)?
Why should we care (hook)?

#5 – Guests present what their very first episode and season would be:

Episode #1 is called...
After a full season you will know

Deciding the Winner (Draft)

One of the hosts is the judge and the winner is decided at the end.
Everyone on the show decides who wins and the winner is decided at the end.
The audience decides which podcast prototype is the winner based on Social Media and Email feedback with the winner announced on Bonus Content

Notable Quotes

"Crispy WHY! Now with a third less calories!" -- Timothy Kimo Brien

Presented by Create Art Podcast

About NES

NES is a Gagglepod Studios Production

Go create something great!