How I Planned a Podcast in 5 Minutes

I've just planned a podcast in the time it took my kettle to boil.

First, I wanted a name

You've got to have a catchy name right? I started by asking ChatGPT:

"I need a name for a new podcast targeted at heads of product or heads of UX in UK large businesses. The podcast will be an interview and opinion based setup and will look to give heads of product and heads of UX key tips and tactics on how to do their job better, and also understand other people's experiences doing the job that they do. I'd like you to create 5 podcast names"

ChatGPT then returned with these five names:

1. "Product Insights: Strategies and Stories"
2. "UX Leaders Unplugged: Mastering the Art of Product Design"
3. "The Product Perspective: Insights for Leaders"
4. "Design Matters: Conversations with Product Innovators"
5. "Inside Product Excellence: Interviews and Expert Advice"

There's a winner there (I won't tell you which one yet though!).

Next, what interview questions should I ask?

I then wanted to think about what consistent questions I could ask. I went lazy with the prompt this time round:

"What interview questions should i ask these interviewees?"

Again, ChatGPT came through:

"When conducting interviews for your podcast targeting heads of product and heads of UX, you can ask a variety of questions to delve into their experiences, insights, and strategies. Here are some interview questions to consider:"

1. Can you tell us about your background and journey that led you to your current role as Head of Product/Head of UX?
2. What are the key challenges you face in your role, and how do you navigate through them?
3. Can you share a specific project or initiative you led that had a significant impact on your organization's product or user experience? What were the key factors that contributed to its success?
4. How do you prioritize and balance competing demands, such as business objectives, user needs, and technical constraints?
5. Can you share a failure or setback you experienced in your career and the valuable lessons you learned from it?
6. How do you foster collaboration and effective communication between product teams, UX teams, and other stakeholders?
7. What strategies do you employ to stay updated with the latest trends, emerging technologies, and industry best practices in product management or UX design?
8. How do you approach user research and feedback gathering to inform your decision-making processes?
9. Can you share a memorable user/customer interaction or feedback that significantly influenced your product roadmap or design decisions?
10. What advice do you have for aspiring heads of product/heads of UX who are looking to grow in their careers?

ChatGPT was sure to also say "remember to adapt and tailor the questions based on the specific expertise, experiences, and interests of each interviewee to create a dynamic and engaging conversation."

Honestly, these are moving too much into general questions, but like I mentioned - I went lazy with the question, so what was I expecting?

Who should I invite on?

I finally asked "Please list the top 10 digital product experts in the world." This was incredibly useful because I needed to create a 'hit list' of experts to reach out to.

"Determining the "top" experts in any field is subjective and can vary based on individual perspectives and criteria. However, here are 10 digital product experts who have made significant contributions and are widely recognized for their expertise:"

1. Marty Cagan: Known for his book "Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love" and co-founding the Silicon Valley Product Group, Marty Cagan is a renowned product management expert.
2. Nir Eyal: As the author of "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products," Nir Eyal specializes in behavioral design and consumer psychology, providing insights on creating engaging digital products.
3. Julie Zhuo: Former VP of Product Design at Facebook, Julie Zhuo is a respected authority on product design, leadership, and user experience. She has also authored "The Making of a Manager."
4. Dan Olsen: A product management consultant and author of "The Lean Product Playbook," Dan Olsen is known for his expertise in applying Lean Startup principles to digital product development.
5. Teresa Torres: As a product discovery coach and author of "Continuous Discovery Habits," Teresa Torres focuses on helping product teams improve their discovery process and make better product decisions.
6. Laura Klein: With her book "Build Better Products," Laura Klein offers practical insights on user research, UX design, and product management, emphasizing the importance of understanding user needs.
7. Marty Cagan: Known for his book "Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love" and co-founding the Silicon Valley Product Group, Marty Cagan is a renowned product management expert.
8. SaaStr (Jason Lemkin): While not an individual expert, SaaStr (Jason Lemkin) is a leading authority in the world of SaaS (Software as a Service) products, providing insights, advice, and thought leadership for the SaaS community.
9. Teresa Torres: As a product discovery coach and author of "Continuous Discovery Habits," Teresa Torres focuses on helping product teams improve their discovery process and make better product decisions.
10. Jake Knapp: Co-author of the book "Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days," Jake Knapp is known for his expertise in design sprints and product development methodologies.

"These experts have made significant contributions to the field of digital product management, design, and strategy, and their insights and experiences can be valuable resources for professionals in the industry. It's always recommended to explore their work, publications, and presentations to gain a deeper understanding of their expertise."

Great! I had a podcast name, general interview format and a list of target guests. I then followed by asking ChatGPT to create an email to invite them on.

That helped!

Sure, there's a lot more work to do on top of that, but in terms of creating something that I could start with, helping with research and sharing common questions to ask, I was much further ahead than I was five minutes ago!

What have you planned recently and did you use ChatGPT to help?