Medium

Medium refers to the method you use to relay your communication.  Media for professional communications include face to face, email, social media, written documents, PowerPoint presentations, websites, and more.  Some media are richer in terms of the types of communication they support.  For example, face-to-face communication supports both verbal and non-verbal communication, whereas email supports only verbal communication. The quality of richness, however, does not equate with being a “better” or “worse” communication medium; “better” equates with being the medium most appropriate to your audience, purpose, and context.

The following video discusses communication media in terms of their richness and efficiency, and offers some strategies for choosing a medium.

Here are some criteria to keep in mind when determining which communication channel to use:

  1. Who is the audience?
  2. How important is the message?
  3. What is the level of confidentiality?
  4. How much interactivity is needed?
  5. How much information needs to be conveyed?

Although the criteria above are listed as separate items, they need to be considered together when choosing appropriate communication channels. For example, if you need to get a quick answer from a member of your team about a joint project, consider the following. First, the recipient is a teammate with whom you probably communicate frequently. Second, the message is a question that needs to be answered right away to keep the project on track. Third, the information is probably not confidential, and fourth, you need your team member to get back to you as soon as possible with a response. By considering the above questions together, you might conclude that an instant message or an email might be a good way to communicate.

The table below offers some thoughts about the benefits, concerns, and possible uses of different professional communication media.

Benefits, concerns, and possible uses of different professional communication media
Medium Benefits Concerns Sample Situations for Use
Synchronous
Face-to-Face, location-based Supports both verbal and non-verbal communication
Get immediate feedback
Address questions immediately
Ability to modulate tone
Scalable from two to many people
Build relationships		 Time and location constraints – have to gather participants in one place at one time
No record of the conversation, unless it is taped.  Taping may change the nature of the conversation.		 Address sensitive issues
Implement a change in process – can immediately address questions and concerns
Digital Real-time: Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc. Supports both verbal and non-verbal communication
Get immediate feedback
Address questions immediately
Build relationships
Ability to modulate tone
Ability to capture and archive the communication		 Time constraints – have to gather people at one time, perhaps over multiple time zones
Technical issues
Difficult with large numbers		 Address sensitive issues
Implement a change in process – can immediately address questions and concerns
Communicate with a dispersed group
Verbal Synchronous: phone Low-tech, easy to use
Get immediate feedback
Address questions immediately
Build relationships
Ability modulate tone		 Time constraints – have to gather people at one time
Difficult with large numbers
Difficult to capture and archive the conversation, unless taped		 Address sensitive issues
Implement a change in process – can immediately address questions and concerns
Communicate one-to-one
Asynchronous
Presentation with images, text, and/or voice: PowerPoint, YouTube/asynchronous video presentation, VoiceThread, etc. Get information to many people at once
Communication can be archived and used as reference
Visuals can enhance the meaning of text		 Possibility for misinterpretation
Message can be ignored
Needs to be crafted carefully to retain attention		 Generate interest in a topic, as an initial stage before a discussion or report
Teach a concept or process
Verbal Asynchronous: audio file, voicemail Get information to many people at once
Can manipulate tone		 Possibility for misinterpretation
Message can be ignored
Message needs to be be crafted carefully; lengthy, unfocused verbal messages disengage the listener		 Provide routine information – announcements, reminders
Teach a concept or process briefly
Offer a personalized response in a one-to-one communication situation
Website/Blog Get information to many people at once
Communication can be archived and used as reference
Visuals can enhance the meaning of text		 Possibility for misinterpretation
Message can be ignored
Needs to be crafted carefully to retain attention and provide the intended message
Technology glitches		 Teach a concept or process
Provide a group or organization’s background, mission
Offer opportunities for asynchronous interaction, e.g., ask questions, request information or support
Email Get information to many people at once
Immediacy – can be sent and received quickly and responded to quickly
Communication can be archived and used as reference
Low-tech, easy to use		 Not secure – can be forwarded to unintended audiences
Possibility for misinterpretation
More difficult to create specific tones
Message can be ignored, especially if email is plentiful within the group/organization		 Provide routine information – announcements, meeting reminders
Follow-up to solidify information after a meeting or training
Written documents: reports, proposals, memos, correspondence Get information to many people at once
Communication can be archived and used as reference
Low-tech, easy to use
Provides the writer with time to craft, review, and edit the message
Printed documents not easily changed; therefore more secure
Traditional purposes and formats that most audience members understand		 Possibility for misinterpretation
More difficult to create specific tones
Message can be ignored
Needs to be crafted carefully to retain attention and provide the intended message
Feedback is not immediate		 Record the business of the group or organization
Formal communication both within and outside of the organization

Here’s another example applying the information from the table above. Consider what medium to use in the case of a message that needs to be sent to your manager to inform her about a new development on an upcoming large business deal. Since the message is important, it will probably be circulated to higher levels of management and will need to serve as a record of the status of the deal. There may need to be a degree of confidentiality because of the nature of the information being discussed, especially if the business deal involves a public company. Finally, the message will probably not require a rich level of interactivity, as it is intended to inform a limited audience. For this example, a brief phone call or in-person meeting, followed by a brief email or written memo, might be a good media mix.

Although the table separates and details different communication mediums, effective communication often requires a media mix to achieve your goals.  A face-to-face meeting often needs to be followed up with email verifying the information discussed.  A printed report may be enhanced by an accompanying website or video that more fully explains how others have applied, used, or worked with the information that the report provides.  A presentation might be followed up with multiple phone conversations or a Skype meeting to discuss the perceived effectiveness of and feedback received from the presentation.  Realize that choice of medium may involve one or many ways of communicating for greatest effectiveness.