Communication is a Latin word which means ‘to share’. It is the sharing of information between different individuals. It includes the sharing of ideas, concepts, imaginations, behaviours and written content. Communication is simply defined as the transfer of information from one place to another. This transfer of information can be conducted in different ways.
Communication is a simple process, yet showing complexity in some aspects. Different ways of communication and the distances over which one is required to transfer the information make the process complicated.
Elements
There are three elements necessary to conduct a communication i.e. the sender, a medium (the platform over which information is conducted) and a recipient. The sender is the most involved person with a full understanding of that matter which he wants to deliver.
On the other hand, the receiver does not necessarily know about the sender and the subject of information which the sender aims to deliver.
Steps
Technically the communication process is split into three major steps. This includes the thought, encoding and decoding. The thought is the subject of information that exists in sender’s mind. When the sender transforms his thoughts, ideas or concepts into verbal speech or a written message, then this is known as encoding. Encoding refers to the encryption of ideas from the perspective of the sender.
When the message is received by the receiver, the recipient reads and understands it. He may translate the information to better understand it. So decoding refers to the interpretation of information from the perspective of the receiver. When the receiver clearly understands the information sent to him, two-way the communication process ends here.
Communication can be a one-way or two-way process. When the information conveyed by the sender is received by the recipient, this states for the completion of a one-way process. It is not necessary that the recipient must respond to the sender, but if the recipient formulates a message in reply to sender’s message, then communication becomes a two-way process. Media content is an example of one-way communication, in which the receiver is not required to respond back, but he only receives the information.
Types
There are different kinds of information. The two major types are verbal communication and non-verbal communication.
Verbal communication
Verbal communication is the sharing of information through speech. It includes the information that people hear on radios, televisions, telephones, speeches and interviews.
Effective verbal communication incorporates the use of interpersonal skills. Factors that contribute to the effectiveness of verbal communication are the clarity of voice and perception and listening skills of the recipient.
Verbal communication, if it is conducted in a two-way loop, is usually based on immediate responses. Verbal communication is also influenced by eye contact, gestures and facial expressions. The hearing and understanding skills of recipient help him understand the context of information and develops his responses accordingly. Linguistics and the way of presenting information build the impact of communication on the recipient.
Non-verbal communication
Written or spoken words are not the only means for sharing a message. When there is no use of words, and the recipient understands what the sender is asking, then it is known as non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is conducted through eye contact, postures, gestures, facial expressions, chronemics and haptics.
Visuals are also an excellent way to represent any information. Use of pictures, symbols and graphs can help a person communicate effectively. Even hairstyles and clothing of a person convey information regarding his nature, mood and intentions. People use architectures, and different colours and textures for home and office surfaces to represent their interests and preferences.
Written communication
Written communication includes the kind of information transfer where the encoding of a message is done in written form. The message may only be written in words, or it may include different symbols, or sometimes even machine codes.
Written communication is influenced by writing and representation skills of an individual. Written message is developed while taking the audience into consideration. Different audiences have different levels of perceptive abilities. Different kinds of messages require different techniques of writing. Like an analytical report is written in a way greatly different to a CV or an essay.
