The document summarizes the history and approach of the Software Process and Measurement Cast (SPaMCAST) podcast over the past 3 years. It discusses how the creator identified an audience in the niche market of software process improvement, grew listenership through credible interviews and cross-promotion, and plans to further expand the audience and programming. The podcast provides a forum to explore software process improvement and measurement topics through a mix of interviews, commentary, and feedback.
Software process and measurement cast a retrospective part 1
1. The Software Process and Measurement Cast:
A Retrospective Part 1
Podcasting To A Niche Market
In order to succeed, your desire for
success should be greater than your
fear of failure - Bill Cosby
‹#›
2. This Presenation
• Building a podcast targeted to a technical
audience presents challenges both in
terms of content and actually identifying an
audience. In the past three’ish years as
the editor of the Software Process and
Measurement Cast (SPaMCAST) I have
experienced most and surmounted them.
I will share how I have grown the cast over
the past three'ish years.
3. Your Agreement With The Audience
Promptness
Credibility Empathy
Problem
Competence
Solving
Reliability
4. What Is SPaMCAST
• The Software Process and Measurement
Cast provides a forum to explore the
varied world of software process
improvement and measurement. The
SPaMCast covers topics that deal the
challenges how work is done in information
technology organizations as they grow and
evolve.
• The show combines commentaries,
interviews and your feedback to serve up
ideas, options, opinions, advice and even
occasionally facts. In a nutshell, the cast
provides advice for and from practitioners,
methodologists, pundits and consultants!
5. Show Format And Packaging
• Four Segments focused on the interview
• Introduction
• Essay
• Interview
• News and Extro
• Edit Why does this format work?
• Provides variety in voice
• Provides variety in ideas
• Reflected creditability
6. SPaMCAST History
• The first episode of the Software Process and Measurement
Cast was uploaded into the “podoshere” on January 17, 2007
• Listenership has grown from a few dozen download a month
to thousands over the two years.
7. The Studio
MXL 990 and Sennheiser
Boom (headphone and
Netbook boom mic)
Alesis 8
Mixer IBM Laptop
Audacity
Skype
Pamela
8. Target Audience(s)
Process Highly
Improvement
Personnel (P) Specialized
Measurement Business
Analysts (P) Analysts (S)
Target audience that
listens to podcasts
Project
Managers and Change
PMO Agents (P)
Personnel (S)
Methodologists
(P)
Highly
International
10. Why Niche Markets Tend To Be Different
• Hard to identify
• Highly specialized
• Tend to be dispersed
• Highly international
• Busy therefore the content must be highly
targeted
• Interaction tends to be hit or miss
• May or may not naturally the IPod age group
11. Building An Audience
• Knowing something is only the beginning of an
equation that culminates in action.
• Awareness helps provides a spotlight of
attention that filters unwanted information.
• If you are not able or interested in taking action,
you really do not want to know.
Awareness Attention Action
12. Soooo How Have I Found My Audience?
• Interviewing people that are willing to
promote themselves
• Some cross promotions with other
podcasts
• Mailing lists from speaking engagements
• Quite promotion at industry conferences
• Social Media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
But I do not think is enough and I am still looking!
13. Suggestions From Audience For Building
Audience and More?
• Publish a newsletter • Link to libraries
• Use Dragon Naturally • Mention on blogs
Speaking to create other than own
text to embed in XML • Add additional
for SEO content
• Render audio to • Read Larry King’s Art
YouTube with or of the Interview
without animated GIF (resource for
• Join a network interviews
14. How To Get The Right Interviewees
• Need to be able to ask . . .
• Credibility
• Who are you and why are you asking?
• Referrals
• Ask you interviewees who they think would
be a good interview, ask them to introduce
you.
• Professionalism
• Tell what you can do for them!
15. Interviewees
• Tim Lister, co-author of Adrenaline Junkies and Template
Zombies
• Suzanne Robertson author of multiple books on
requirements
• David Anderson the author of Agile Management for
Software Engineering
• Kent Beck, pioneer in Agile Methods
• Scott Ambler, though leader in Test Driven Development
• Ivar Jacobson, developer of Use Cases
• Capers Jones, prolific author and measurement pundit
• Nicholas Carr, author of the Big Switch
• Grady Booch, discussing Life, the Universe and
Development
• And many, many more
16. Critical Success Factors in Interviewing
• Learn how to interview
Promptness
Credibility Empathy
• Do your research!
Problem
Competence
• Shut-up and Listen
Solving
Reliability
Examples of great interviewers
and storytellers:
• Terri Gross – Fresh Air
• Larry King
• Ira Glass – This American Life
17. Podcast and Personal Branding
• Personnel branding increases reach and online
visibility which enhances day job if coordinated!
Day Job:
Podcast: Blog:
“The Real
Regular Knowledge
World”
Communication Transfer
Interaction
18. Factoids and Successes
• Goal is to provide information not for
interviewee to sell his or her wares except
• The podcast is independent of my day
job (except through karma)
• Factor in approximately $750k
of business in last two years
• Snagged book deal
(Out on July 20, 2010)
• Used as course material in at least
one Scotland University
19. Expansion Plans: SPaMCAST
• Evolutionary Plans
• Teach people listening options
• Focus on SEO to drive traffic
(blog and show notes)
• Revolutionary Plans
• Added programming:
• Metrics Minute Podcast (expand audience)
• MIS / IT Academic program outreach
20. End Notes (So Far)
• Creating good, targeted content builds an
audience!
• Who you interview reflects on your
credibility
• Selling and interviewing skills are critical
21. Contact Data
Tom Cagley
spamcastinfo@gmail.com
(440) 933-8768 – Office
(440) 668-5717 – Cell
www.spamcast.net - Podcast
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When ya wanna page me it's okay
I just can't wait until I hear my cell phone ring
Questions . . . . Doesn't matter if it's day or night
Everything's gonna be alright
Whenever you need me baby
Call me, beep me if ya wanna reach me”
- Kim Possible Theme Song