Choosing the appropriate medium (oral – written – hybrids)

Abstract

Communication is a key pillar in a project, and it has a great influence on the success of a project. A typical project manager uses around 80% of their time on communication, and this communication itself plays a big role in projects and project management . One of the essential things to understand and master as a project manager, is how to create a communication that thrives throughout the project. The project manager needs to excel in choosing the appropriate ways of communicating based on what messages they are sending and who are receiving a given message.

The communication processes always goes through a medium – different people respond better to different forms of communications and the medium it is delivered through. The chosen medium therefore also contributes to how the messages are delivered and understood by the receiver. Assessing the people involved in a project and determining on the appropriate communication medium based on this, and can therefore have an effective influence on how the messages are received and also avoid miscommunication.

Not two people are alike, and that extends to each individuals own learning styles , the way they receive and interpret messages and information. Some might need to hear the hear message where others want to read the messages in order to better process what is being communicated. The above taken into consideration, the ideal choice of medium is not based on the senders' preferences alone, but must include the receiver as well.

This article seeks to further investigate the different mediums a message is delivered through; what are the characteristic of these; and how do they benefit or compromise the messages being sent. Furthermore, this paper delves into the concept of applying a deeper understanding of mediums within:

• Peoples perspectives, wishes and/or goals
• Understanding how to choose the most appropriate medium, based on the perception of the person receiving the messages.
• The core essence of the message being communicated.

The overall aim is to equip the project manager with knowledge on how to choose the appropriate communication medium for an effective communication

The Big Idea

Choosing and apply the right medium for the message is a strong asset for the project manager to master. Thought the apply cation of apricate communication medium, the project manager can strengthen the communication with the involved parties in a project. A great part of the communication is also the way, the messages is delivered – in this case, the medium. Some massages is better suited for being delivered through specific mediums, and some mediums work better because they are leaner to apply and communication thought specific medium for specific messages this makes your communication for your message effective and efficient.

The article also with to investigate, how does a project manager get out their message in the most effective and efficient way. A part of this is also to understand how different people in the best way are presented to new knowledge and information. By looking into VARK learning as a complementation to the theories about choosing the appropriate media, this framework provides the Project Manager with the tolls to both choosing the appropriate medium to send the messages, but also reconcile it with the receiver and reconcile it with the people different styles of learning,

Basically, it quite simple, the best medium to use, is the medium, that effectively delivers the messages as the sender intended

Background

As a project manager is it important to have a strategic approach toward communication, this related to all people involved in the project.

Successful communication is when: Communication is about sending the right message to the right audience at the right time through the right channel in the right context for the right purpose.

There are many factor to comply with, and one the more interesting ones, are the channel or medium used for the communication.

Thought out this article, medium will be used as the overall term for the different way to send messages in this cases it sands over the team verbal, nonverbal and written. Within these three there are different channels, that’s is variation within each of the three overall mediums

Communication mediums

In the communication process, the medium is the system or the channels of the message – this could be looked at like the medium as the way the information/messages is delivered to the receiver. The medium is the transport station device of the information from sender to receiver.

The variety of medium fall into three main categories Verbal, non-verbal and written. Each of these are associated with different

Verbal communication:

Verbal communication or verbal is probably the most obvious communication form that comes to mind, when we are first off thinking about communication we might image two-person speaking to each other. Their parts of verbal communication both includes speaking and listening. The sender communicates a message through speech to the receiver.

In this case, the messages can be influenced by several things: The tone, the wording and the formality of the words.

Different tones have a great influence on how the message is received – a tone can be kind and understanding while delivering a message, but can also be pointed and de demined, to emphasize the messages and indicate frustrations. There the influence on the messages from the wording and the formality is already made by the sender, there tone is a bit different, because the influence on the messages that can be determined by the tone, can only be obtained by verbal communication. ()

Verbal communication is also the way, we integrating as a receiver in communication. To success as Project Manager active listening in verbal communication is sestina thought this article will not go into further to this, it is worth mentioning

Channels within verbal communication in project management can be face-to-face conversations, meetings, virtual meeting or phone-calls

Non-verbal communication

Verbal communication is in many cases supported by non-verbal communication. A study led by Dr. Mehrabian concluded that 55 present of the interpretation of a message comes from the nonverbal put of a communication. Non-verbal communication includes our Body languages, eye contact, facial expression, posture and even smell.

Written

The big difference in verbal communication is written communication There a messages send and received in textual form. It might be a handwritten note or letters, e-mails or even a PowerPoint presentation. In contrast to verbal communication that often times take place in real-time, written communication can be constructed over a longer period of the and since the message is written is can be reported over and over again since it does not transpires.

Mediums

TYPE OF CHANNEL	ADVANTAGES	DISADVANTAGES
Oral Communications	Build relationships and trust; accelerate decision making due to immediate feedback	Spontaneous nature may lead to unwise statements; people are unable to refer to the communication once it is said unless a record is made.
Written Communications	Message can be revised for exactness; can be archived for reference; can be studied. Appropriate for legal and formal business functions.	Message is static; sender does not receive immediate feedback. Hard for the sender to gauge if the receiver has understood.