Short answer

When designing communication systems, move beyond simplistic transmission models to embrace the multifaceted nature of user interaction, including their social, political, and personal contexts.

Field: Modelling
Source: Ekphrasis (2023)
Method: Empirical inquiry and critical discourse analysis
Evidence: Moderate effect

Existing communication models, particularly those focusing on media, may overemphasize the transmission of information and neglect the complex, socio-political, and lived experiences of senders and receivers. This modelling research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Ekphrasis. Using Empirical inquiry and critical discourse analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing communication systems, move beyond simplistic transmission models to embrace the multifaceted nature of user interaction, including their social, political, and personal contexts.

Study

ModellingRecentModerate effect

Communication models can oversimplify sender-receiver dynamics

Ekphrasis · 2023

Key Findings

01Medium-centered communication models can perpetuate an oversimplified view of information transfer.
02The compulsive sender/receiver duality and the interplay of channel, message, and meaning are often problematized.
03The socio-political modality and lived-world experience are frequently marginalized in these models.
04Existing models may inherit limitations from earlier communication prototypes.

Application

Design takeaway

When designing communication systems, move beyond simplistic transmission models to embrace the multifaceted nature of user interaction, including their social, political, and personal contexts.

How to apply

When developing a new communication platform or interface, explicitly map out the potential socio-political influences and diverse lived experiences of your target users, and ensure your design accommodates these factors.

Project actions

01When evaluating existing communication models for your design project, consider their historical context and potential biases.
02Think about how your design project can actively incorporate or address the socio-political context of its users.

Method & Evidence

AimHow do established medium-centered communication models, such as Elleström's, account for the lived experiences and socio-political contexts of communication, and how can these models be expanded to be more comprehensive?

MethodEmpirical inquiry and critical discourse analysis

ProcedureThe study critically examines Elleström's medium-centered communication model by applying it to case studies from archeology and dance. It traces the model's theoretical lineage to earlier communication prototypes (Shannon-Weaver, Saussure, Aristotle) and proposes an expansion of intermedial communication theory.

ContextCommunication theory, intermedial studies, design of communication systems

Variables

IVCommunication models (e.g., medium-centered, Shannon-Weaver)

DVEffectiveness and comprehensiveness of communication models in representing lived experience and socio-political context

CVCase study examples (archeology, dance)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a critical re-evaluation of a foundational model in intermedial studies.
+Connects theoretical critique to practical examples and proposes avenues for expansion.

Limitations

The critique of Elleström's model is specific and may not apply universally to all medium-centered approaches. The proposed expansion is theoretical and requires empirical validation.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity relies on the rigor of its critical analysis and the relevance of its chosen case studies. Reliability would depend on the replicability of the critical discourse analysis and the consistency of the proposed theoretical expansion.

Think critically

To what extent do current digital communication platforms inadvertently reinforce the limitations identified in medium-centered models, and what design interventions could actively counteract these tendencies?

Design Principles

"Design for situated communication, acknowledging the socio-political and experiential dimensions of user interaction."

Understanding the limitations of current communication models is crucial for designers developing interactive systems, educational tools, or any product that facilitates human communication. Acknowledging these complexities allows for the creation of more nuanced and effective communication strategies within design.

What This Means for Your Design

Some ways we think about how messages get from one person to another (like through a website or an app) are too simple. They don't account for how real life, society, and personal feelings affect how we communicate.

How to use in your project

1.Critically evaluate the theoretical models underpinning your design choices, referencing this study to highlight potential limitations in communication models.
2.Use the insights to justify the inclusion of features that address the socio-political or experiential aspects of user communication in your design.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights that communication models, such as those focusing on media, can oversimplify the complex realities of user interaction by prioritizing information transfer over lived experiences and socio-political contexts. When designing communication systems, it is therefore essential to move beyond these simplistic frameworks and actively consider the situated nature of communication, ensuring that designs accommodate the diverse social, political, and personal dimensions of user engagement.

Source

Ekphrasis

Reconsidering Elleström’s medium-centered communication model: a critical inquiry

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about communication models can oversimplify sender-receiver dynamics?: When designing communication systems, move beyond simplistic transmission models to embrace the multifaceted nature of user interaction, including their social, political, and personal contexts. Evidence: Ekphrasis (2023).
Why does "Communication models can oversimplify sender-receiver dynamics" matter for design?: Understanding the limitations of current communication models is crucial for designers developing interactive systems, educational tools, or any product that facilitates human communication. Acknowledging these complexities allows for the creation of more nuanced and effective communication strategies within design.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing communication systems, move beyond simplistic transmission models to embrace the multifaceted nature of user interaction, including their social, political, and personal contexts.
What were the main findings?: Medium-centered communication models can perpetuate an oversimplified view of information transfer.. The compulsive sender/receiver duality and the interplay of channel, message, and meaning are often problematized.. The socio-political modality and lived-world experience are frequently marginalized in these models.. Existing models may inherit limitations from earlier communication prototypes.
What research method was used?: Empirical inquiry and critical discourse analysis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Ekphrasis.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing a new communication platform or interface, explicitly map out the potential socio-political influences and diverse lived experiences of your target users, and ensure your design accommodates these factors.
What are the limitations?: The study's critique is based on specific interpretations of existing models and may not encompass all variations or applications of medium-centered communication theory.