Roundabout: Creative Chaos

Tammy Coron
  • 4.9 (9)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Biweekly

A podcast about creativity, technology, and the people who make things. Each episode features conversations with scientists, game designers, software developers, authors, artists, and other creative professionals about their work, the decisions behind it, and the problems they solve.

  1. 3d ago

    Dave Thomas: Programming, Publishing & Embracing Change

    Dave Thomas is a programmer, author, publisher, and one of the original authors of the Agile Manifesto. He co-authored The Pragmatic Programmer with Andy Hunt and later co-founded the Pragmatic Bookshelf, applying software development practices to the way technical books are written, produced, tested, updated, and published. In this episode, Dave talks about discovering programming as a teenager, writing The Pragmatic Programmer, bringing Ruby to an English-speaking audience, and helping create the Agile Manifesto. We also get into the origins of code kata, using AI without surrendering judgment to it, the decline of technical publishing, writing Simplicity, and what developers need to learn when generating code is easier than ever. In this episode: How the Agile Manifesto came together and why Dave believes the movement lost its original focusUsing feedback, iteration, and reversible decisions to change direction without losing everythingWhere code kata came from and what repetition teaches programmersWhy using AI effectively still requires knowing how to do the work yourselfHow Dave discovered programming and found a way to express his ideas through codeHow consulting notes became The Pragmatic ProgrammerWhy Dave and Andy Hunt decided to start the Pragmatic BookshelfHow software development practices shaped the way the Pragmatic Bookshelf produced booksWriting Simplicity and working with an editor for the first timeWhat AI and changing reading habits mean for technical publishingWhy Dave measures professional success by the effect his work has had on other peopleThe story behind his family's zombie apocalypse cellarTopics: software development, programming, agile development, Agile Manifesto, artificial intelligence, code kata, technical writing, publishing, Pragmatic Bookshelf, The Pragmatic Programmer, Ruby Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Dave Thomas: Programming, Publishing & Embracing Change

  2. Sep 22

    Venkat Subramaniam: Programming, Teaching & Never Stop Learning

    Venkat Subramaniam is a programmer, author, educator, and founder of Agile Developer. His career has taken him from computer architecture and software development to teaching, consulting, speaking, and writing books. In this episode, Venkat talks about the unexpected decisions that changed the direction of his career, including volunteering to teach C before he really knew the language. We also get into how teaching changed the way he learns, what writing books taught him about feedback, and why he believes software development is as much about discipline as it is about technology. In this episode: How Venkat found his way from engineering to software developmentLearning C by volunteering to teach itWhy teaching became such an important part of his careerWriting books and learning to value critical feedbackWhat agile development means to Venkat and why adaptive planning mattersHow his thinking about AI has changedTopics: software development, programming, agile development, teaching, technical writing, AI, software quality Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Venkat Subramaniam: Programming, Teaching & Never Stop Learning

  3. Sep 1

    Adam Tow: Software Development, Caregiving & Building for Change

    Adam Tow has spent decades exploring what technology can do and building tools to solve problems he encounters along the way. A longtime Apple developer and technologist, he's created software ranging from early Newton applications to MixEffect, ActionPhrase, and his latest app, C1B. C1B grew out of Adam's experience helping care for his father during cancer treatment. Faced with medications, appointments, schedules, notes, and information spread across multiple places, Adam built an app around the realities of day-to-day caregiving. His approach reflects a pattern that runs throughout his career: see a problem, understand it, and build something useful. In this episode: Growing up with the Apple II and discovering software developmentWhy Adam builds apps to solve problems he encounters himselfCreating MixEffect and ActionPhraseHow caregiving for his father led to C1BUsing AI agents to develop softwareWhat AI could mean for the future of programmingIn the after show: Adam shares another major chapter of his career: nearly 15 years with All Things D, Recode, and Vox Media, where he had a front-row seat to the changing technology industry. Topics: Apple, software development, AI, caregiving, C1B, indie development Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Adam Tow: Software Development, Caregiving & Building for Change

  4. Aug 18

    Bob Wegner: Music, Max Webster, and the Stories Behind the Songs

    Bob Wegner has spent decades making music and digging into the history behind it. A multi-instrumentalist, music historian, archivist, and writer, Bob has worked with artists including Rush and Led Zeppelin and performed with Classic Albums Live. He is also the author of Max Webster: High Class, a book that took seven years to research and write. From his own music to his deep dive into one of Canada's most distinctive rock bands, Bob brings a mix of research, firsthand experience, and a genuine love of music history. His work with Max Webster goes far beyond the songs, uncovering the people, performances, photographs, recordings, and stories that document the band's place in Canadian rock. In this episode: Bob's journey as a musician and music historianHow his interest in Max Webster became a seven-year book projectResearching the people, performances, and stories behind the bandWhat makes Max Webster's music and career so distinctiveThe challenges of documenting music historyPreserving the stories behind Canada's rock historyTopics: music, Max Webster, Canadian rock, songwriting, music history, books Audio note: Due to an issue with the original recording, you may notice a few audio imperfections in this episode. We've restored the audio as much as possible while preserving the conversation. Thanks for your understanding. Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Bob Wegner: Music, Max Webster, and the Stories Behind the Songs

  5. Aug 4

    Kaine "Korp" Kulczak: Creative Confidence, Drawing & Embracing Imperfection

    Kaine "Korp" Kulczak built a creative community around a simple idea: drawing is something anyone can do. After more than twenty years working in an office, he transformed a lifelong passion for art into Korp Academy, helping people rediscover creativity without fear of making mistakes. Rather than focusing on technical perfection, Korp encourages people to pick up a pen, experiment, and develop confidence through practice. His workshops, online classes, and livestreams have grown into a worldwide community built around the belief that imperfect creations can reveal personal style, curiosity, and joy. In this episode: Why drawing with pens helps people embrace creative riskBuilding confidence by learning through mistakesGrowing an art community from local workshops to a global audienceHelping adults reconnect with creativityFinding a personal artistic voice instead of chasing perfectionUsing online teaching to make art more accessibleTopics: drawing, art education, creativity, creative confidence, illustration, online learning Audio note: Due to an issue with the original recording, you may notice a few audio imperfections in this episode. We've restored the audio as much as possible while preserving the conversation. Thanks for your understanding. Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Kaine "Korp" Kulczak: Creative Confidence, Drawing & Embracing Imperfection

  6. Jul 21

    Anna Abraham: The Creative Brain, Imagination & Understanding Ideas

    Anna Abraham studies one of humanity’s most fascinating abilities: the capacity to imagine something that does not yet exist. Her research examines how creativity emerges through the relationship between the brain, behavior, and environment. As a psychologist and researcher, Abraham explores creativity beyond traditional ideas of artistic talent. Through books and academic work on imagination and cognition, she investigates how people generate new ideas and how creative thinking develops across everyday life, education, and human experience. In this episode: Studying creativity through psychology and neuroscienceUnderstanding how imagination works in the human brainExploring creativity beyond traditional artistic fieldsThe relationship between cognition, behavior, and new ideasApplying research on creativity to education and daily lifeDiscovering what science can reveal about human imaginationTopics: creativity, neuroscience, psychology, imagination, cognitive science, education Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Anna Abraham: The Creative Brain, Imagination & Understanding Ideas

  7. Jul 7

    Ken & Roberta Williams: Sierra, Adventure Games & Interactive Storytelling

    Ken and Roberta Williams helped transform computer games into a medium for storytelling, building Sierra On-Line and creating experiences that shaped generations of players. Their work showed that games could combine technology, imagination, and narrative in entirely new ways. From early adventure games like King’s Quest to later creative projects, the Williamses have continued exploring how players interact with stories. Their journey reflects the challenges of building a creative technology company, designing new forms of entertainment, and returning to game development after decades away. In this episode: Creating Sierra On-Line and shaping early computer gamingDesigning adventure games that invited players into storiesThe challenges of developing games with early technologyBuilding a company around creative experimentationThe evolution of interactive storytelling over timeReturning to game development with new ideas and perspectivesTopics: video games, adventure games, game design, interactive storytelling, entrepreneurship, computer history Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Ken & Roberta Williams: Sierra, Adventure Games & Interactive Storytelling

  8. Jun 16

    David Arndt: Writing, Philosophy & The Search for Creative Understanding

    David Arndt’s work examines writing as more than a method of communication—it is a way of thinking, questioning, and understanding the world. His long-developed project Philosophy of Writing brings together ideas about language, creativity, and personal growth. As a writer, educator, and professor, Arndt studies the relationship between philosophy and creative practice. His approach to authorship has been shaped by years of reflection, teaching, and exploring how ideas become written work. In this episode: The decades-long development of Philosophy of WritingWriting as a tool for discovering and refining ideasThe connection between philosophy and creative practiceTeaching writing through critical thinking and reflectionThe influences that shaped an approach to authorshipBuilding meaningful creative work through patience and persistenceTopics: writing, philosophy, creativity, education, authorship, creative process Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    David Arndt: Writing, Philosophy & The Search for Creative Understanding
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4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

A podcast about creativity, technology, and the people who make things. Each episode features conversations with scientists, game designers, software developers, authors, artists, and other creative professionals about their work, the decisions behind it, and the problems they solve.

Information

  • Creator
    Tammy Coron
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    159
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Tammy Coron
  • Show Website
    Roundabout: Creative Chaos

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