Transcript Virtual Communication

Virtual vs. Real Time
Communications
Lecture 5: Effective
Communications Skills
Virtual
• Virtual means the quality of affecting
something without actually being that
something
• “Virtual Bob" is a man with another name
that can get just as many chores done around
the house as the real Bob
• In information technology, there seems to be
a virtual version of (virtually) everything
Virtual Relationships
Virtual relationships are is ones:
• Whose members are geographically apart
• Usually working by computer e-mail &
social media platforms
• While appearing to others to be a single,
unified relationship with a real physical
location
Virtual Communication
• Information, communication, & action,
mediated by new information technologies,
where contents, intentions, or actors may be
nonexistent, distorted, replaced, or createdintentionally or unintentionally
• Technology-mediated communication that
takes place asynchronously (such as
through a fax, voicemail, e-mail, texting, or
social media such as Twitter and Facebook
or via electronic discussion groups)
Real Communication
• “Real” communication: an exchange of
ideas that takes place synchronously (in
real time)
• Such as through face-to-face
communication, a telephone call,
videoconference, or electronic chat room.
Communications Technologies
Available
Older ones:
Newer ones:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Telephone
Print
Voicemail
Fax
E-mail
Texting
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Skype/FaceTime
Videoconferencing
Asynchronous communication - 1
• There is always some form of mediation
(electronic or otherwise) between the sender
and receiver
• It doesn’t require a recipient be immediately
present to receive the communication
• Each type of asynchronous communication
carries its own personality
(formality/informality, urgency, level of detail
it can present, etc.)
Asynchronous communication - 2
• The communications skills needed depend on the
medium mediating the communication and are
more oriented toward content than context
• The nonverbal clues of synchronous
communication are missing (although each type of
asynchronous communication has its own
nonverbal communication)
• Because there is no opportunity for immediate
questions or feedback, the sender must include all
the details needed by the receiver to fully
understand the message
Synchronous communication - 1
• The communication can be either mediated
(telephone call or skype for example) or unmediated
(as in face-to-face communication)
• The sender & receiver are present at same time
• There can be a rich set of nonverbal clues present to
help participants interpret communication content &
meaning
• Although medium used adds its own characteristics,
it is the personality of the communicators that
imparts the formality, urgency, and level of detail to
the communication
Synchronous communication - 2
• The communications skills of the
communicators are balanced between the
content and the context of the message
• Noise can also be a factor in
disrupting/distorting a message, but the types
and sources can differ from those in an
asynchronous communication
• Because there is opportunity for immediate
feedback, the sender and receiver constantly
negotiate the level of detail required for the
message to be fully understood
Factors of Communicating with
virtual communicators - 1:
 Are they mobile or in a fixed location?
 What technology do they have available?
 What resources do they have available to maintain
their technology?
 What is the environment in which they work?
• Is it secure?
• What are the distractions?
• What time zone are they in?
Factors of Communicating with
virtual communicators - 2:
• Are there technological restrictions in their
area (such as brownouts or power
restrictions)?
• How much information do they need?
• What kinds of information do they need?
• How often do they need to be
communicated with?
Stimulus Questions
• What types of “noise” might interfere with
message transmission, receipt, and
understanding when using communications
technologies?
• What types of messages would be best
communicated by communications
technologies?
• How do the communications needs of
individuals communicating asynchronously
differ from those communicating
synchronously?
Stimulus Questions
• What characteristics of a message would you consider
when selecting the best way to deliver it to its
recipients?
• What do you consider the top five skills
communicators must have to communicate
successfully in a virtual environment?
• What do you consider the primary advantages of
synchronous versus asynchronous communication?
Asynchronous versus synchronous communications?