The web changes every day.
The best marketing ideas or the coolest programming techniques in January can be outdated by November. My desk is littered with fantastic books on web development design and my Delicious and Instapaper accounts are full of great articles on content strategy and user experience, but one of the best ways to learn about the latest strategies on the web is by listening to podcasts.
In less than an hour while on your way to work you can keep up to date on the latest web trends. If you’re not already tuned in, read on to learn about five great podcasts that you should be listening to.
Big Web Show
Hosted by Dan Benjamin and web standards pioneer Jeffrey Zeldman, the Big Web Show is an interview show covering topics such as usability, art direction, web technology, content strategy, and much more. The recently bestowed winner of a .net Magazine Award winner for best video podcast, the audio version should be a weekly listen for everyone who works on the web. Be sure to also check out the other shows from Benjamin’s 5by5 Studios.
Boagworld
Paul Boag and his band of merry English podcasters haven’t released a full episode since June but it’s too good to leave off the list. A podcast for “those who design, develop and run websites,” Boagworld shows cover everything from tips for hiring the right designer to e-commerce strategies to to the psychology of design. Currently, Paul is still producing quick tip AudioBoos every week and a new podcast will be back in early 2011. In the meantime, go listen to the entire back catalog.
Think Vitamin Radio
This podcast from Carsonified, the folks behind the “Future of…” conferences, is an excellent complement to the educational resources provided by the Think Vitamin blog and membership. Geared a little more to designers and developers than the first two podcasts on this list, Think Vitamin Radio episodes are casual, fun conversations but these guys know web education and there will be great takeaways in every one.
Userability/SpoolCast
A single feed gets you episodes of Userability, Spoolcast, and the occasional UIEtips. Whatever your job title, usability, information architecture, and user testing are some of the most critical components to a project’s long term success. The show features interviews by Jared Spool, one of the industry’s leading experts on user interface design, on everything usability related.
SitePoint Podcast
The most technical of the bunch, the SitePoint Podcast is a wealth of information on web design, web development, and the business of it all. There will be episodes where the primary topic doesn’t interest you but the conversation and web news is always worth a listen. A must subscribe for all web developers.