The Podcast Series Proposal (PSP) project results in a brief but detailed description of the podcast series you propose to create during the course. The PSP is challenging because it requires you to conceptualize and develop a plan for producing a successful podcast series.
The project submission is a brief proposal. For the full list of core and supporting documents/files, see Submission Requirements.
The PSP project brings together elements of research, design thinking, and UX design into the creation of a proposal for a podcast series. Because this project is at its core a visionary undertaking, it emphasizes awareness of genre, media, and audience.
Because podcasts are designed to be published, and therefore to be experienced by listeners, they represent a media format that has a built-in responsibility to connect with prospective audience members. Although such connections might be accomplished haphazardly or accidentally, that is rarely a viable plan. Thus the design of a successful podcast series begins with awareness of podcasts (including production values, themes, publishing processes and platforms), and of listeners. The podcast you'll create in the context of this course is audio only rather than a simulcast of audio and video content. This specific configuration brings both advantages and disadvantages. Part of your challenge to balance these.
Another part of your challenge with the PSP project is to demonstrate the ability to imagine how you might connect with listeners through the production of effectively representative thematic content. What do listeners want to hear? What do they enjoy? What keeps them coming back for more episodes? You must invest in researching existing podcasts (and parallel media), genres, structures, formats, and so on to provide a foundation for your vision. What can you learn from others' successes and failures? What can you do to ensure the success of your own series? How might you use the proposal to begin making your vision a reality?
Deliverables: memo; proposal
Document scope: 150 words (memo); 2 pages (proposal)
Project value: 100 points
Evaluation rubric: _Eval_PodcastSeriesProposal.pdf
Recommended tool(s): Microsoft Word
The PSP project results in a 2-page proposal that describes the podcast series you plan to produce during the semester. That proposal will provide a link to a research document (hosted on the Google Docs platform) where you will have organized your observations about other podcast series.
Your podcast series must be built around a core concept. That is, the episodes must contribute to a coherent podcast series that is linked by theme/subject. You determine the thematic connection & subject matter, and remind listeners during each episode of how it all fits together. Once you identify the core concept, invest in researching series with similar elements, and develop your series plan in detail.
The semester began with you conducting analyses of podcast episodes that I curated for you as a way of establishing standards for how we might engage in research about podcast design and execution. You'll use that same procedure here to examine 3 episodes from different series that parallel your series vision in some way. That is, you might select a series constructed around a similar theme, a series that explores similar topics, and a series with a similar format to your podcast vision. The series you examine do not have to parallel your vision exactly. It would be counterproductive for you to take the same approach, element by element, that another series takes. Your goal is to learn what you can from a variety of series, in hopes that bringing together familiar content components and approaches in new ways might be a formula for your own series' success.
As you did during the Podcast Analysis workshops, open a new Google Doc to gather your observations. Use the same doc for all three analyses. When you get to the second and third analyses, insert a page break to make a clear separation between entries.
Title your document using this formula: YourLastName: Podcast Series Proposal. That is, replace the text YourLastName with your last name. My research doc would thus be titled Williamson: Podcast Series Proposal.
Organize your document in advance to include the following sections. That is, add a heading to your doc for each of the categories of details listed below. Note that these content areas parallel the work you did during the Analysis workshops, but that it also differs as well.
Your proposal should present your vision for a podcast series in brief but complete and specific detail.
Defining Elements of Series. Provide a longer discussion that provides detailed explanation of the defining elements of the series. What will your podcast be about? What kinds of topics will you discuss? What purpose will your podcast serve for listeners? What angle are you able to take regarding the topic that might distinguish you in the podcast market? What kind of show do you imagine? A solo monologue about your topic? A discussion format with a regular co-host / sidsekick? Interviews with guests?
Episode Outline. Introduce the outline of a typical episode. You need not predict timestamps for transitions among segments, but should provide a sense of what segments will likely appear in each episode.
Episode Topics. List several possible episode topics/titles that might fit your concept for the series.
Competing Podcast Series. List 4 to 6 series that your series would compete against for listeners. For each such series, identify 2 to 3 qualities or characteristics that define that competition.
Inspiring Podcast Series. Discuss the series you examined during the research stage of the project. For each such series, identify 2 to 3 qualities or characteristics from which you draw inspiration for your series.
I have provided a sample document (Williamson - PodcastSeriesProposal) as a visual guide for how you might design your proposal. You need not treat this as a template. The content segments of your proposal may not directly parallel the ones in the sample document for scope. However, the document does demonstrate how to use headings to organize a professional document, and includes features such as a footer & pagination that your document should also include. Note that the sample is single spaced. A double-spaced document can only present about half of the content you need to fulfill the assignment requirements.
A memo of transmittal introduces the accompanying document to its audience(s). Your memo should be addressed from you to me, and should introduce the accompanying proposal. Your memo should incorporate the following content & design elements.
I have provided a sample memos (refer to Canvas Files: Project Support) to assist you in developing this document.
This section is designed to help you anticipate and avoid problems as you work on this project. Therefore, as you work, consider the following hints and tips.
Approach this project as a design strategist. Consider how audience needs and expectations for documents of this type, and how all of the design components coordinate and complement one another. Pay attention to the design specifications you have been given to work with.
Remember that communication in professional and technical contexts values highly the ability to write and speak with economy, directness, and professionalism. Another way of saying this is to make every word count. Stay focused on the details necessary to communicate effectively with your audience(s). Write and rewrite until your textual content makes sense and represents careful, concise, professional communication.
Edit carefully, seeking to express your ideas clearly and concisely. Edit out loud with the intent of writing in such a manner that your sentences sound professional and focused. Work to meet the design specs. Scrutinize your work so it is consistent, professional, and quality.
Read and attend carefully to these submission guidelines. Failure to do so may result in points lost on the final evaluation of your project.
Create a project folder inside your shared class folder on Dropbox.com. Remember, I can only view files that you place inside the shared folder. Until you place files in that space, you have not in practice submitted them.
Name the folder Podcast Series Proposal.
Make sure the files listed below are available to me in the project folder by the final deadline. Model your filenames on the listed examples:
Note. Do not share the individual files with me. By placing them in your project folder, you have already shared them by default.
This section describes the standards by which your submission will be evaluated.
There are 100 possible points for each episode of this project. The first submission is the final submission. You will earn points according to the standard described on the policies page (see Policies for a description of these categories).
The specific areas of emphasis for this project are drawn from the description and discussion of the project, and are detailed in the evaluation rubric (_Eval_PodcastSeriesProposal.pdf).
Remember that I will only post the point values for projects on the Grades page in SVSU Canvas. I will post the details relevant to that evaluation in your class folder in a project-specific file.
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