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Podcasting for Technical Communicators

Podcasting for Technical Communicators . By Jennifer L. Bowie, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Technical Communication at Georgia State University For Currents on Saturday March 15, 2008. Overview. What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting

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Podcasting for Technical Communicators

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  1. Podcasting for Technical Communicators By Jennifer L. Bowie, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Technical Communication at Georgia State University For Currents on Saturday March 15, 2008

  2. Overview • What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting • Why should we care: Podcasting & technical communication • What would interest us: Podcasts for us • Why should we podcast: Jobs and interests

  3. What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting • Podcast: iPod + broadcast • Not just for iPods • Digital media files distributed over the internet • RSS feeds • Often played on portable media players (like the iPod) • Time-shifted

  4. What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting • Popular • 17 million podcast listeners in 2008 (predicted ) • 16% of Internet users in 2007 • 30% of MP3 player owners have downloaded a podcast Red is blogging Blue is podcasting Google Trends search

  5. Why should we care: Podcasting & technical communication • Technology and media are often part of our jobs • We are communicators • Audience, purpose, context & the five canons • Oral presentations • Lessons learned may help other forms • “New” way to reach audience and get the message across • We are researchers and interested in learning • Quick reference for us to point to

  6. Why should we care: Podcasting & technical communication • Too little time: work & personal • Jobs often have constantly changing technology and training requirements • Jack (and master) of all trades • Understand the trends

  7. What would interest us: Podcasts for us Two categories: • Job • Entertainment/Education/Life

  8. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Job/Educational ) Writing issues: some Grammar Girl: Grammar tips Podictionary: Definition and history of a word Trafcom News Podcast: Communication in various forms with clients, prospects, and employers What is missing here? Tech writing/comm: few Tech Writer Voices: Tech writing podcast by an STCer (?) Business Writing with UpWrite Press: Tips and advice for workplace writing Musing of a Tech Writer: More personal look at life politics, movies and tech writing This about it STC: very few Networking Tips for Freelancers, Work-at-Homers, and Other Professionals: Washington DC Chapter podcast http://stcwdc.podomatic.com/ STC Atlanta: Our own podcast! http://mschoen.libsyn.com/ East Bay (Northern CA) podcast http://www.ebstc.org/podcasts.html

  9. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Job/Educational ) • Technology: tons • TED talks • This week in Tech: Latest trends in tech (Leo Laporte) • Inside Mac Radio: News and updates from the Mac community • Learning Technology: many • Learn Excel from MrExcel Video Podcast • LearnFlash.com Video Podcast • Building the Pod: About using Adobe Audition • Design: lots • Appclinic – Graphic design tutorials • Tips from the top floor: Digital photography • The InDesigner: InDesign advice and help for designers

  10. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Job/Educational ) • Usability and User Experience: some • UIE Brian Sparks: User interface engineering (was SpoolCast) • UXpod: User experience podcast • Design Critique: “Encourages usable product designs” • Web Design: some but podfading (or in German or about marketing) • Boagworld: For serious designers • Web Axe: Accessibility web design podcast • Screen Space: Web design for the average person http://www.screenspace.org • Language: • JapanesePod101.com • Jordanian Arabic Language Lessons (done by the Peace Crop) • Learn French by Podcast

  11. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Fiction: • Escape Pod (scifi), Pseudopod (horror), PodCastle (fantasy, April 1) • The New Yorker Fiction • Earthcore, Ancestor, and Infection: podcast books by Scott Sigler • Hobbies: • Gaming: Virgin Worlds • Gardening: Dirt on gardening • Astronomy: AstronomyCast

  12. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • History: • 12 Byzantine Rulers • Great Speeches in History • Military History Podcast • Advice: • Quick and Dirty tips: Money Girl, Mr. Manners, Legal Lad, Mighty Mommy, Get-it-done Guy • Savage Love • Monster Podcast (Monster.com)

  13. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Health & Exercise: • PODRUNNER: Music for running • Tri Talk Triathlon Podcast • National Institutes of Health • Radio Theater • Decoder Ring Theatre • Spaceship Radio • Radio Adventures of Dr Floyd

  14. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Alternative Lifestyle • Q-Podders community: www.qpodder.com • Polyamory weekly • Feast of Fools • Other interests: • Talking Traffic • Ask a Ninja • Midwest Teen Sex Show

  15. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Politics: • Obama & Clinton both have them • 2008 Central’s Presidential Election Podcast • Left Wing Nut Job • And much more • Education and iTunes University • Music • Interviews • News • Local • Books

  16. Why should we podcast?For our Job • Many companies or organizations have them • About 1/3 of major corporations • Examples: • Planned Parenthood • Microsoft: Voice of Support PodCasts • The Jim Henson Company Podcast • Types: • Company Sponsored • Product-based • Product-integrated • Company News

  17. Why should we podcast?For our Job • Value: • “Global” time-shifted and relatively low-cost communication • Reaches different audiences • Gives customers “more” • Establishes trust in the product or company • “Advertising” • Enter the podcasting community • Community development • Consultant Podcasts: • All the value and then some • Get name out and known • Give the client a preview

  18. Why should we podcast?Personal • Job related • Interest related • Subject • Love it • Look for holes or focuses • Time considerations • Length • Your time • Licensing: Consider Creative Commons • Music: • Magnatune • Pod Safe Audio • Creative Commons works: NIN Ghost I-VI • Money Considerations • Costs • Profit?

  19. Podcasting for Technical Communicators • We are communicators • Can be useful on the job, as a consultant, or just as an interested person • A perfect fit

  20. Thank you • Jennifer L. Bowie • http://www.rhetcomp.gsu.edu/~jbowie & http://www.screenspace.org/ • jbowie@gsu.edu • Images: • “Angel holding a microphone boom” by Herman Beunhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/_herman/2175392600/ • “Microphone” by sAeroZar's http://www.flickr.com/photos/52291469@N00/2236886057/

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