Designing for Listening

This is the deck for my talk at re:build 2014, in Indianapolis, IN.

https://rebuildconf.com
https://benjamindauer.is

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Designing for Listening, by Benjamin Dauer

Most of us live in a visually-driven world where images compete for our attention. The picture that holds our gaze longest is considered the most effective. With references to Roger Waters, dogs in socks, and astronauts, Benjamin explores the unique design challenges surrounding audio experiences, notably NPR One - where success is often determined by how little one sees.

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Special thanks to all of the photographers, musicians, and journalists whose content helped make this presentation look and sound better. Photo/Audio Credits are all documented at the end of the deck.

Transcript

1. Designing for Listening re:build 2014 @benjamindauer
2. Smart Friends Michelle Seaman Jeremy Pennycook Dave Wright Jr. Max Pfennighaus Mike Seifolahi Mikhail Sinnan Sara Sarasohn Vince Farquharson Joanne Garlow Jared Biehler Jeffrey Katz Grant Dickie Erica Osher Jen Oh Michael Yoch Liz Danzico Wes Lindamood Brendan Codey Julie Ahn Stephen Asma Eric Bailey re:build 2014
3. About Me Minneapolis, MN Boulder, CO Chicago, IL Raleigh, NC Washington, DC Berlin, Germany Born Raised Educated, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs University of North Carolina AIA, Deloitte, NSF, NPR Soundcloud re:build 2014
4. Colonel Chris Hadfield re:build 2014 “So much of what we know, and what we think, and what we feel, and what we remember is affiliated with how it all sounded.”
5. When We Listen re:build 2014 ≠ pixels ≠ screens ≠ interfaces
6. What Do You Feel? re:build 2014
7. When We Listen re:build 2014 ≠ artwork ≠ typography ≠ grid
8. Where Are You Taken? re:build 2014
9. Intangible, Invisible re:build 2014
10. Part One, Dissolve re:build 2014 verb to disintegrate or disperse; disappear gradually; fade away
11. How It Began dissolve • grade school • junior high • high school french horn, trumpet trumpet 4 string bass
12. Circa ‘90 dissolve
16. Avalon Acoustics dissolve
22. dissolve Thoughtful Design
23. dissolve Designed Not To Be Seen
24. dissolve Future of Public Radio
25. dissolve Challenges • the world around us competes for our attention
27. dissolve Challenges • the world around us competes for our attention • busy/complicated interfaces
29. dissolve Challenges • the world around us competes for our attention • busy/complicated interfaces • features, bells, whistles
30. dissolve As Easy As Radio
32. dissolve Audio Experience
34. dissolve Platform, Not App
37. dissolve Focus • clarity • deference • depth • detail content not chrome UI gets out of the way communicating structure refinement of interactions
39. dissolve Clarity Over Cleverness
41. Part Two, Flow re:build 2014 verb to move along in a stream; to issue or proceed from a source
42. Remember Him? flow
46. flow Music verse chorus bridge A B C
47. flow A/B/A/B/C/A or I-IV-V-I structure, pattern, motif, pace, rhythm, melody, harmony
48. flow Public Radio segments newscasts music beds funding credits promos A-E I-V Interstitials
49. Network Clock flow structure, pattern, motif, pace, rhythm
50. Future of Public Radio flow
51. A Digital Clock? flow
52. flow NEWS A B NEWS A B
53. On Demand flow well orchestrated segments and a familiar framework bring the spirit of the show to the listener
54. flow Challenges • API = Free
55. flow Create Once
56. flow Publish Everywhere
57. flow Challenges • API = Free • 3rd party aggregators / startups with $
58. flow Marketplace • manual playlisting • traditional broadcast framework • aggregation
59. flow Challenges • API = Free • 3rd party aggregators / startups with $ • algorithms
60. Humans VS. Machines
61. flow The Metadata Problem
62. flow Music
64. flow Really? • Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star • Common • Chantay Savage
65. flow News
67. flow Really? • After 25 Years Of Amnesia, Remembering A Forgotten Tiananmen • ‘Captain Underpants’ 2013’s Most Vilified Book
69. flow Really? • Four-Legged Impostors Give Service Dog Owners Pause • Everyone Poops, But Dogs Do It With Magnetism • Now A Test Can Tell If Your Pricey Cup Of Cat Poop Coffee Is Fake
71. flow Metadata + Experience • thoughtful • surprising • human intelligently curated serendipitous discovery locally hosted
72. Humans + Machines
73. Part Three, Complement re:build 2014 noun something that completes or brings to perfection
74. This Guy Again? complement
75. complement Hey Mister Deejay
76. complement Signals • understand the context
78. complement Signals • understand the context • read the audience within that context
80. complement Signals • understand the context • read the audience within that context • respond to the audience appropriately
81. complement Explicit VS. Implicit • how do you feel tonight? • what kind of mood are you in? • what genres do you want to hear?
82. complement Trust The Experts
83. complement Future of Public Radio
84. complement Challenges • people are busy • frenetic landscape • personalization
85. complement Listening = Parallel
90. complement Day-Parting
91. complement Monday - Thursday
92. complement Friday
93. complement Weekends
94. complement Habits
95. complement Best Show, For You • casual • regular • power low barrier of engagement repeat engagement advocate and customize
96. complement Soft-Subscribe • search for a program or podcast • skip sports stories • mark interesting science stories
97. complement Where You Are • relinquished from a clock • local & national mix • learns what you enjoy • lets you make a habit of those
98. complement Coda
99. complement Future Of Public Radio …will connect you to a handcrafted, personalized stream of local and national stories, both from shows you like and some we'll surprise you with. You'll be informed, entertained and connected to your community in a way that fits your life.
100. Colonel Chris Hadfield re:build 2014 “So much of what we know, and what we think, and what we feel, and what we remember is affiliated with how it all sounded.”
102. re:build 2014 n.pr/aboutone
103. Audio Credits re:build 2014 Dean Peer “Risks and Missions,” Roger Waters “The Ballad of Bill Hubbard”, NPR, Black Star “Respiration”, Common “Reminding Me (Of Sef) Featuring Chantay Savage”, Chantay Savage “All Night All Day”, NPR, NASA “Apollo 11 Moon Landing”
104. Image Credits re:build 2014 International Space Station view NASA, Fresher Basses, Kubicki Basses, Avalon Acoustics, Jeff Rowland, Cardas Audio, Time Square by kevin813 on Flickr, Red Radio by Tom Godber on Flickr, Basement Rock Band by Sean Molin Photography on Flickr, Club Crowd by Getty Images on Flickr, Modern Dance (“Freneticore The Sacred Harp”) by eschipul on IMCreator, Angry Robot by Jon Payne on Flickr, Black Star album art by artist, Common album art by artist, Chantay Savage album art by artist, Tiananmen Square by NPR, Captain Underpants book cover by Scholastic Inc., Service Dogs by Lisa Napoli/KCRW, Dog Poop Magnetism by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, Cat Poop Coffee by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images, Keep Calm and Use the Force by Mind Fly, Troll and Robot by Paloetic on Flickr, Dark Museum by Quantum Bunny on Flickr, Pink Museum by Minneapolis Institute of Arts on Flickr, Train Platform by Basheer Tome on Flickr, Highway Lights by De Vetpan Archive on Flickr, Bike Handlebars by De Vetpan Archive on Flickr, Easter Dinner by De Vetpan Archive on Flickr, International Space Station view NASA, Apollo 11 Moon Landing by NASA.
105. Thank You re:build 2014 email www twitter hello@benjamindauer.is benjamindauer.is @benjamindauer