{"id":249,"date":"2019-02-14T19:46:12","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T19:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/?post_type=chapter&p=249"},"modified":"2019-07-12T19:31:22","modified_gmt":"2019-07-12T19:31:22","slug":"medium","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/chapter\/medium\/","title":{"raw":"Medium","rendered":"Medium"},"content":{"raw":"Medium refers to the method you use to relay your communication.\u00a0 Media for professional communications include face to face, email, social media, written documents, PowerPoint presentations, websites, and more.\u00a0 Some media are richer in terms of the types of communication they support.\u00a0 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.\r\n\r\nThe following video discusses communication media in terms of their richness and efficiency, and offers some strategies for choosing a medium.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XZb6eHdi_os&t=16s\r\n\r\nHere are some criteria to keep in mind when determining which communication channel to use:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Who is the audience?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. How important is the message?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. What is the level of confidentiality?<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. How much interactivity is needed?<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. How much information needs to be conveyed?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nAlthough 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.\r\n\r\nThe table below offers some thoughts about the benefits, concerns, and possible uses of different professional communication media.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Benefits, concerns, and possible uses of different professional communication media<\/span><\/caption>\r\n
    Medium<\/span><\/th>\r\nBenefits<\/span><\/th>\r\nConcerns<\/span><\/th>\r\nSample Situations for Use<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Synchronous<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Face-to-Face, location-based<\/span><\/th>\r\nSupports both verbal and non-verbal communication\r\nGet immediate feedback\r\nAddress questions immediately\r\nAbility to modulate tone\r\nScalable from two to many people\r\nBuild relationships<\/td>\r\nTime and location constraints \u2013 have to gather participants in one place at one time\r\nNo record of the conversation, unless it is taped.\u00a0 Taping may change the nature of the conversation.<\/td>\r\nAddress sensitive issues\r\nImplement a change in process \u2013 can immediately address questions and concerns<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Digital Real-time: Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.<\/span><\/th>\r\nSupports both verbal and non-verbal communication\r\nGet immediate feedback\r\nAddress questions immediately\r\nBuild relationships\r\nAbility to modulate tone\r\nAbility to capture and archive the communication<\/td>\r\nTime constraints \u2013 have to gather people at one time, perhaps over multiple time zones\r\nTechnical issues\r\nDifficult with large numbers<\/td>\r\nAddress sensitive issues\r\nImplement a change in process \u2013 can immediately address questions and concerns\r\nCommunicate with a dispersed group<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Verbal Synchronous: phone<\/span><\/th>\r\nLow-tech, easy to use\r\nGet immediate feedback\r\nAddress questions immediately\r\nBuild relationships\r\nAbility modulate tone<\/td>\r\nTime constraints \u2013 have to gather people at one time\r\nDifficult with large numbers\r\nDifficult to capture and archive the conversation, unless taped<\/td>\r\nAddress sensitive issues\r\nImplement a change in process \u2013 can immediately address questions and concerns\r\nCommunicate one-to-one<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Asynchronous<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Presentation with images, text, and\/or voice: PowerPoint, YouTube\/asynchronous video presentation, VoiceThread, etc.<\/span><\/th>\r\nGet information to many people at once\r\nCommunication can be archived and used as reference\r\nVisuals can enhance the meaning of text<\/td>\r\nPossibility for misinterpretation\r\nMessage can be ignored\r\nNeeds to be crafted carefully to retain attention<\/td>\r\nGenerate interest in a topic, as an initial stage before a discussion or report\r\nTeach a concept or process<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Verbal Asynchronous: audio file, voicemail<\/span><\/th>\r\nGet information to many people at once\r\nCan manipulate tone<\/td>\r\nPossibility for misinterpretation\r\nMessage can be ignored\r\nMessage needs to be be crafted carefully; lengthy, unfocused verbal messages disengage the listener<\/td>\r\nProvide routine information \u2013 announcements, reminders\r\nTeach a concept or process briefly\r\nOffer a personalized response in a one-to-one communication situation<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Website\/Blog<\/span><\/th>\r\nGet information to many people at once\r\nCommunication can be archived and used as reference\r\nVisuals can enhance the meaning of text<\/td>\r\nPossibility for misinterpretation\r\nMessage can be ignored\r\nNeeds to be crafted carefully to retain attention and provide the intended message\r\nTechnology glitches<\/td>\r\nTeach a concept or process\r\nProvide a group or organization\u2019s background, mission\r\nOffer opportunities for asynchronous interaction, e.g., ask questions, request information or support<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Email<\/span><\/th>\r\nGet information to many people at once\r\nImmediacy \u2013 can be sent and received quickly and responded to quickly\r\nCommunication can be archived and used as reference\r\nLow-tech, easy to use<\/td>\r\nNot secure \u2013 can be forwarded to unintended audiences\r\nPossibility for misinterpretation\r\nMore difficult to create specific tones\r\nMessage can be ignored, especially if email is plentiful within the group\/organization<\/td>\r\nProvide routine information \u2013 announcements, meeting reminders\r\nFollow-up to solidify information after a meeting or training<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Written documents: reports, proposals, memos, correspondence<\/span><\/th>\r\nGet information to many people at once\r\nCommunication can be archived and used as reference\r\nLow-tech, easy to use\r\nProvides the writer with time to craft, review, and edit the message\r\nPrinted documents not easily changed; therefore more secure\r\nTraditional purposes and formats that most audience members understand<\/td>\r\nPossibility for misinterpretation\r\nMore difficult to create specific tones\r\nMessage can be ignored\r\nNeeds to be crafted carefully to retain attention and provide the intended message\r\nFeedback is not immediate<\/td>\r\nRecord the business of the group or organization\r\nFormal communication both within and outside of the organization<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nHere'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.\r\n\r\nAlthough the table separates and details different communication mediums, effective communication often requires a media mix to achieve your goals.\u00a0 A face-to-face meeting often needs to be followed up with email verifying the information discussed.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Realize that choice of medium may involve one or many ways of communicating for greatest effectiveness.","rendered":"

    Medium refers to the method you use to relay your communication.\u00a0 Media for professional communications include face to face, email, social media, written documents, PowerPoint presentations, websites, and more.\u00a0 Some media are richer in terms of the types of communication they support.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

    The following video discusses communication media in terms of their richness and efficiency, and offers some strategies for choosing a medium.<\/p>\n