Sketchplanations - The Podcast

Bell Boy Productions
  • 4.0 (5)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Big Ideas explored through Little Pictures. We offer up great conversations about ideas based on simple and insightful sketches in the Sketchplanations online collection, with the aim of giving listeners something fun and interesting to have their own conversations about. This is an explainer podcast for the curious-minded. Topics covered include science, behavioural economics, wellbeing, nature, psychology frameworks, business models, cognitive biases, and even domestic life-hacks.  It's certainly not a self-help podcast, but you might take something away that helps you notice or even enjoy the world around you a little more. Sketchplanations illustrator and author Jono Hey joins lifelong friends Tom Pellereau (2011 Apprentice Winner) and Rob Bell (Engineer & Broadcaster) to share ideas and stories catalysed by each week's sketch. The 3 of us have been friends for over 20 years and have always enjoyed delving into all sorts of conversation topics - usually with some silliness along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Tsundoku: Do you buy books faster than you can read them? 📚🤔

    6D AGO

    Tsundoku: Do you buy books faster than you can read them? 📚🤔

    How big is that pile of books next to your bed? Tsundoku is a Japanese word for buying books and letting them pile up unread. It’s a familiar habit to book lovers everywhere — that growing stack of books you intend to read but haven’t yet. In this episode of Sketchplanations The Podcast, we explore why we buy books we don’t read, why unread books don’t always feel like a bad thing, and what this habit says about curiosity, identity, and our relationship with reading. In this episode we embrace Tsundoku and our conversation ranges from buying too many books to the joy and guilt of collecting unread books, and how tsundoku can extend to audiobooks, hobbies, and other unread things. If you’ve ever wondered why you buy books faster than you can read them — or felt conflicted about your own unread pile — this episode is for you. Links to items (mainly books) that we discussed: The book that changed Tom's life: Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark WintersThe book from Jono's pile he next wants to start: A few short sentences about writing by Verlyn KlinkenborgRobbie is most looking forward to getting started on: Whatever will be will be by Felix WhiteJono recommends cartoons about books and reading by Tom GauldBig Ideas, Little Pictures is the Sketchplanations book by Jono Hey Summary: 00:00 Introduction to Tsundoku: The Act of Collecting Unread Books 02:52 Personal Stories and Reflections on Tsundoku 05:20 The Broader Implications of Tsundoku 07:49 Books as Gifts and Their Value 10:03 The Joy and Guilt of Collecting Books 17:14 Final Thoughts and Reflections 19:34 Conclusion and Farewell All music on this podcast series is by the very talented Franc Cinelli Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min
  2. Family Tree Explainer

    12/30/2025

    Family Tree Explainer

    Do you know who your second cousins are or if you even have any? And what does "once removed" mean anyway? Tune in to this episode as we unravel the mysteries of family relations—which we figured would be particularly helpful at the festive time of year. We explore the subtleties of family trees, making our way to 'Second Cousins Once Removed'. We dig into the confusion around generational terms and the importance of knowing your extended family. We share a few family-related anecdotes and cultural differences, such as the Chinese family tree and Icelandic naming conventions. We strongly encourage you to follow along with the sketch at Sketchplanations.com to better understand your own family connections. Here are the Chinese family tree names mentioned. Episode Summary 00:00 Welcome to Sketchplanations 00:47 Understanding Family Relations 02:13 Exploring Second Cousins 06:06 Generational Differences Explained 11:48 Cultural Perspectives on Family Trees 14:57 Famous Families and Their Connections 15:08 The Mayflower Ancestor Story 15:55 Family Trees and Their Complexity 16:43 The Importance of Family Connections 18:01 Tracing Family History 21:07 Unique Family Names and Their Origins 22:28 Surname Origins and Commonality 25:58 Gender-Neutral Family Terms 27:07 Concluding Thoughts All music on this podcast series is provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
  3. Continuous Partial Attention

    12/16/2025

    Continuous Partial Attention

    Coined in the 1990s by Linda Stone, Continuous Partial Attention describes the state of being constantly connected; trying to do multiple things at once, which often leads to an ever-present, low-level form of stress. We explore how this phenomenon affects modern life, compare it to multitasking, and discuss both its positive and negative aspects. The podcast also highlights how technology has exacerbated this issue and considers potential solutions, such as mindfulness and turning off notifications, to better manage one's attention. Links to stuff we discussed: Dan Kahneman Mind Over Tech Video of Woman who Walks into Fountain Whilst Texting The Film: Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Other Sketches and podcast episodes referenced: Phubbing episode and sketch Phone Zombie sketch Hegel's Dialectic: Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis sketch Yak Shaving episode and sketch 5 Ways to Wellbeing episode and sketch Everyone's a Geek About Something episode and sketch How to Instantly Feel Better episode and sketch Picking the Perfect Present episode and sketch Buy Jono's Book: Big Ideas, Little Pictures, for a loved one this Christmas - The Perfect Present and then some... Summary 00:00 Introduction to Continuous Partial Attention 01:31 Depicting Continuous Partial Attention in a Sketch 04:25 Personal Experiences with Continuous Partial Attention 05:54 The Impact of Technology on Attention 08:49 Multitasking vs. Continuous Partial Attention 11:15 The Challenge of Staying Focused 17:05 The Role of Continuous Partial Attention in Different Professions 20:38 The Dilemma of Turning Off Notifications 21:15 Balancing Work and Family Life 22:03 The Art of Multitasking 22:59 The Pitfalls of Continuous Partial Attention 23:49 Turning Cognition into Automation 25:25 The Rise of Single Tasking 27:54 The Productivity of Focused Work 32:07 The Future of AI and Continuous Partial Attention 34:20 Final Thoughts and Recommendations All music on this podcast is provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  4. Microlives & The Art of Uncertainty with Sir David Spiegelhalter

    12/02/2025

    Microlives & The Art of Uncertainty with Sir David Spiegelhalter

    What's your life expectancy trade-off for enjoying a crispy bacon sandwich? 🥓 Sir David Spiegelhalter is a celebrated Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge; widely accepted as one of the UK's foremost statisticians. He explains the concepts of 'micromorts' and 'microlives', which quantify risk and the impact of lifestyle choices on life expectancy. The discussion delves into acute vs. chronic risks, with practical examples such as the dangers of skydiving or how regular smoking affects longevity of life. The conversation also covers the application of statistics in medicine, the importance of randomisation in clinical trials, and the philosophical underpinnings of uncertainty. Additionally, David highlights the human capacity to judge risks, the pitfalls of intuition, and offers practical advice on dealing with uncertainty in everyday life. Lively anecdotes, insightful explanations, and practical takeaways make this episode a compelling listen for anyone interested in the intersection of statistics, risk, and daily decision-making. David's latest book, The Art of Uncertainty is available in all good bookshops and online. Here are some useful links to further explore some topics raised: The work of Ron Howard at Stanford UniversityJono's sketch on Word SpectrumsDavid's many other books - including Sex by NumbersPoisson Distribution explainedDavid tells the tale of Persi Diaconis - the Mathemagician. Episode Summary: 00:00 Introduction, David's Background & Achievements 01:43 The Wipeout Experience 03:13 Understanding Micro-Morts 04:27 Acute vs. Chronic Risks 05:29 Micro-Morts in Everyday Activities 12:05 Introduction to Micro-Lives 18:03 Medical Applications of Data and Statistics 21:27 The Role of Uncertainty in Life 27:52 Building Resilience Over Robustness 29:18 Embracing Uncertainty in Life 33:35 Misuse of Statistics in Media and Politics 40:30 The Gamblers Fallacy and Intuition 42:29 The Uniqueness of Card Shuffles 45:43 Common Misconceptions About Probability 48:02 Practical Tips for Dealing with Uncertainty 51:33 Final Thoughts and Reflections All music is provided by Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min
  5. The Pomodoro Technique

    11/18/2025

    The Pomodoro Technique

    This genius time management hack was conceived by Francesco Cirillo. The technique involves working for 25 minutes followed by a mandatory 5-minute break, repeating this cycle three to four times before taking a longer break. We share our personal attempts at using the method, explore the psychology behind productive work cycles, the importance of taking breaks and reflect on its effectiveness in both office and home environments. We also discuss the broader context of productivity obsession and share insights from using related tools eg. online "focus buddies". The session concludes with a follow-up on how the Pomodoro Technique has worked for them a week after recording the episode, reenforcing a lot of the theory we originally set out. Could this be our favourite procrastination buster yet!?! External links In the episode we reference a number of items you can find out more on here: Previous podcast episodes came up a lot (procrastination is a recurring theme for us): How to Instantly Feel Better; Yak Shaving; Goldilocks Tasks & The Fresh Start EffectRemarkably, there's currently no sketch for it, but Jono talks about The Red Queen Effect or Hypothesis - the concept of having to run to stay still.The Bear Focus Timer (used by Jono and now Tom as well). Available on Apple Store Examples of Focus Buddy or Accountability Partner websites include Focus Mate and Flow Club. Episode Summary 00:00 Introduction to Sketchplanations Podcast 00:29 Exploring the Pomodoro Technique 01:03 Origins and Basics of the Pomodoro Technique 02:57 Implementing the Pomodoro Technique in the Office 07:23 Challenges and Adaptations of the Pomodoro Technique 17:10 Alternative Productivity Methods 18:53 Accountability and Shame in Productivity 19:40 Origins of the Pomodoro Technique 20:17 Applying Pomodoro in Different Environments 21:32 Psychological Benefits of Time Blocking 22:38 Challenges and Adaptations in the Office 23:01 Personal Admin and Procrastination 23:22 Flow and Creative Tasks 26:16 Post-pod Findings on Pomodoro Technique Usage 28:44 Final Thoughts and Outro All music on this podcast series is kindly provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
  6. Canal Locks with David Macauley

    11/04/2025

    Canal Locks with David Macauley

    In this episode, Jono meets one of his heroes, as we engage in a conversation with acclaimed author, illustrator and explainer, David Macaulay. We talk about David's journey from architecture to creating educational illustrations that make complex concepts understandable and engaging - and the Canal Lock is a great example of this from Jono's collection. We discuss the significance of sketching for understanding and teaching intricate ideas, and reflect on some of David's famous works, including his book, 'The Way Things Work.' David shares insights into his creative process, the importance of curiosity, and how integrating humour and playfulness in his illustrations can enhance learning. This conversation would not be complete without questioning David about his famous woolly mammoths - used in his illustrations to help explain machines, mechanics, physics and science.  Links See here for more information about David as well as his bibliography. Jono specifically references David's maths book, Mammoth Maths, when comparing his own sketch on "Parts of a Circle". When addressing humour in Architecture, David talks about his book "Great Moments in Architecture". Summary 00:00 Welcome to Sketchplanations - introducing David Macaulay 01:30 David's Journey into Explanations 03:42 The Way Things Work 04:35 The Joy of Learning and Teaching 04:47 Collaborating on The Way Things Work 09:54 Exploring Canal Locks 15:24 The Art of Sketching and Curiosity 20:05 The Importance of Sketching 20:34 Humour in Learning 25:07 The Origin of the Woolly Mammoth in David’s drawings 26:37 Balancing Humour and Information 30:07 Encouraging Sketching in Education 33:30 Everyday Wonders and Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
  7. Ordering Adjectives with Author Mark Forsyth

    10/21/2025

    Ordering Adjectives with Author Mark Forsyth

    When describing something with numerous adjectives (eg. the big brown dog, the heavy square steel door) there's a natural order we all instinctively follow as english speakers. I don't remember ever being taught it, nor would I be able to explain it to you, but my ear can definitely tell if someone gets it wrong! English adjectives follow a specific order. Who Knew?!? Well, there's one person for sure: What our special guest on this episode, award-winning author, journalist, and etymologist, Mark Forsyth, doesn't know about the English language, simply isn't worth knowing. In our conversation, Mark breaks down the correct traditional ordering of adjectives. And Mark's passion for the English language becomes clear as he walks us through other nuances of English, such as Ablaut Reduplication (why it's Zig Zag and Splish-Splash rather than Zag-Zig or Splash-Splish), Chiasmus (inverting phrases in a speech eg. “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” — John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address (1961)) and many more. Additionally, in celebration of Mark's latest book; "Rhyme and Reason : A short history of Poetry and People (for people who don’t usually read poetry)" we talk about the history of poetry and its impact on readers from medieval times to the present. We learn how poetry was once widely shared and enjoyed socially (a bit like sharing memes on social media today) and how English has natural cadences and rhythm to it, that we all make use of every day - again, without having a clue that we're doing it. And we also learn why most of us have been thinking about poetry all wrong ever since school. In the episode, we also reference Mark's other books such as The Etymologist and The Elements of Eloquence, which can all be found here. And you can follow Mark's musings and love of language on his blog as The Inky Fool, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Episode Summary 00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Mark Forsyth: Wordsmith Extraordinaire 01:05 Mark Forsyth's Journey with the English Language 01:44 The Fascinating World of Words and Their Origins 02:27 Mark Forsyth's Books and Their Unique Insights 06:32 The Popularity of Poetry Through the Ages 11:06 The Decline of Poetry and Rise of Pop Lyrics 12:48 Exploring English Syntax and Adjective Order 15:03 The Intricacies of English Grammar 21:38 Fun with Language: Reduplication and Compounds 27:38 Rhyme and Reason: Poetry in Society 29:27 The Unsung Heroes of Songwriting 30:42 The Evolution of Poetry's Popularity 41:33 The Rhythms of English Language 50:54 The Charm of Limericks 54:49 The Joy of Reading Poetry Aloud 56:45 Closing Thoughts and Farewell All music on this podcast series is provided by the wonderfully talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  8. Jevon's Paradox

    10/09/2025

    Jevon's Paradox

    This time we discuss Jevons' Paradox, the counterintuitive concept that improvements in fuel efficiency can lead to increased overall fuel use. We explore the origin of this idea, dating back to 1865 by British economist William Stanley Jevons, and discuss its relevance today in areas such as car fuel efficiency, advances in battery technology, and even the proliferation of LED lighting in homes. Inevitably, the impact of emerging technologies like AI also arise. We also talk about the broader implications of Jevons' Paradox in everyday life and business, and how it can be managed through policies and smart design. Quick Links Some links are included below to certain topics we reference in the chat: Other Sketchplanations referenced include: The Generalised Peter Principle, The Peter Principle, The Laws of ExpansionYou can also listen to our previous podcast on The Peter Principle.More Work For Mother book by Ruth Cowan Summary 00:00 Introduction to Sketchplanations Podcast 00:33 Exploring Jevons Paradox 01:11 Historical Context of Jevons Paradox 02:37 Modern Examples of Jevons Paradox 05:14 Personal Anecdotes and Parallels 10:12 AI and Future Implications 15:29 Energy Demands of AI and Nuclear Facilities 15:51 The Evolution of Spreadsheets and Work Efficiency 17:07 Jevons Paradox and Environmental Concerns 17:29 Advancements in Battery and Water-Saving Technologies 19:33 The Impact of Video Compression on the Internet 21:47 LED Lights and Household Energy Consumption 24:27 Government Policies and Behavioral Incentives 26:10 Reflections on Jevons Paradox and Human Nature 28:26 William Stanley Jevons' Insights and Predictions 30:06 Conclusion and Farewell All music on this podcast series is provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
See All (67)

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Big Ideas explored through Little Pictures. We offer up great conversations about ideas based on simple and insightful sketches in the Sketchplanations online collection, with the aim of giving listeners something fun and interesting to have their own conversations about. This is an explainer podcast for the curious-minded. Topics covered include science, behavioural economics, wellbeing, nature, psychology frameworks, business models, cognitive biases, and even domestic life-hacks.  It's certainly not a self-help podcast, but you might take something away that helps you notice or even enjoy the world around you a little more. Sketchplanations illustrator and author Jono Hey joins lifelong friends Tom Pellereau (2011 Apprentice Winner) and Rob Bell (Engineer & Broadcaster) to share ideas and stories catalysed by each week's sketch. The 3 of us have been friends for over 20 years and have always enjoyed delving into all sorts of conversation topics - usually with some silliness along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

You Might Also Like