Mediums and Barriers

MG5001 Engineering Communication
Mediums and Barriers of Communication
Content created by Otago Polytechnic

Modified by Mark Schatzdorfer
Contents
1. Communication mediums
– Advantages and disadvantages
2. Communication barriers
– Physical
– Cultural and language
– Credibility
– Emotional
– Semantics
3. Overcoming barriers
2
Mediums
• The way the sender chooses to transmit or encode the message is
called the medium.
Mediums - Examples
• Television • Texting • Blueprints
• Posters • Social Media (Instagram, • Facsimiles
• Radio Broadcasts Facebook, etc.) • Brochures
• Newspapers • Face-to-face conversation • Walkie-Talkies
• Advertisements • Telephone calls
• Public announcements • Video conferencing (FaceTime,
• Movies Skype, etc.)
• Music • Speeches and presentations
• Books • Messenger programs (Line,
• Letters WhatsApp, Kakao, etc.)
• Emails • Group meetings
• Voice Messages • Sign language
• Reports • Semaphore
• Pre-recorded presentations • Diagrams
Mediums – advantages and disadvantages
Medium Advantages Disadvantages
Television
E-mail
Telephone
Video conferencing
Instant messaging (Text)
WhatsApp messenger
Face-to-face meeting
5
Mediums - some questions to consider
• Which methods of communication are most suitable for your own

personal friends? Why?
• Which communication methods would not be suitable for business
communication? Why?
• What kind of communication do you think will be most popular in the
future? Why?
Barriers
• Barriers are things that interrupt the communication process.

• Some barriers may be small, e.g. someone is sniffing
• Some barriers may be large, e.g. someone is deaf
7
Examples of barriers
• Physical disabilities • Lack of trust
• Physical distance • First impressions - prior contacts
• Boredom • Environment (very loud, windy,
etc)
• Illness
• Poor listening skills
• Different languages
• Different meanings given to
• Cultural differences same words
• Different values • Problems with technology
• Misunderstandings
• Unequal power
Physical Barriers
• When something in the physical environment and not inside one’s

mind stands in between the sender and its receiver.
– E.g. outdated computers, phones with poor signals, bad hearing, poor eyesight,
background noise, poor lighting, incompatible software, temperatures that are
too hot or too cold, etc.
• How accessible other employees and company leaders are can
create communication barriers.
– Think office layout, remote work, desk-less employees, hierarchy structures,
etc.
9
Cultural and Language Barriers
• Attitudes and beliefs that come from our personal environment and
experience.
• Possible solutions:
– Consider the cultural makeup of the intended audience.
– Seek to understand where there are differences.
– Avoid slang, jargon and regional colloquialisms.
– Be conscious of your verbal and non-verbal behaviour.
– Fashion the message to ensure that it says what you mean and also takes
those differences into account.
10
Credibility Barriers
• When the targeted audience is confused about what to trust and what not to.
• Employees want to be in the loop and feel open discussions are allowed, otherwise it can
cause speculations and rumors that foster misinformation among teams.
• If you receive only a portion of news or messages, it breaks down the ability to do the work
properly or distribute that important news to others.
• Possible solutions
– Be true to your word and follow through with your actions
– Learn how to communicate effectively with others
– Take time to make decisions and think before acting too quickly
– It takes time to build and earn trust
11
Emotional Barriers
• Employees process things differently and may have a fear or social anxiety related to sharing
or connecting.
• When someone is filled with emotion they may fumble for words, misinterpret questions,
forget key details or display non-verbal cues that can be misleading to listeners.
• An aggressive attitude that may be intended by the communicator to display confidence may
be interpreted as arrogance.
• If you don't open your mind to listen carefully to what is being said and objectively assess
what you hear, your bias will persist and could become a barrier to the communication
process.
12
Semantics Barriers
• Semantics is the study of meaning in language.

• Barriers may be caused by harsh language, vague language, misleading
translations, technical language and jargon.
• Today’s technological era can contain a lot of hashtags, emoticons and memes.
– Since everybody does not think in the same way it can cause a lot of trouble in
understanding the interpretations.
– One emoji can be used for many different emotions, which can create confusion.
• Different industries can have their own meanings for acronyms.
13
Overcoming Barriers - Part One
Recognize generation gaps and differences

• Each will have different preferences and expectations when it comes to
communications.
Gather feedback from your people around messaging
• Not everyone will answer your surveys or share their thoughts, but if you can get a
good sample size it will help you understand what you must do better at.
Develop consistency in communication effort
• Don’t lose momentum on previously given communication.
14
Overcoming Barriers - Part Two
Personalize information and messages

• Tailor your messages, how they are sent and received, rather than bulk emailing
everyone.
Use technology and data to improve communication
• But don’t use too many tools.
Encourage more two-way information sharing

• Employees should also be able to effectively communicate information to
managers.
15
Overcoming Barriers - Part Three
• Create an open door policy • Set communication protocols

• Write things down • Get to know your team members
• Follow up • Improve listening skills
• Speak face-to-face whenever possible • Engage in team building exercises
• Formalize a chain of command
• Develop trust
• Hold meetings
• Conduct feedback sessions
16

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MG5001 Engineering Communication

Mediums and Barriers of Communication

Content created by Otago Polytechnic

Instant messaging (Text)

• Which methods of communication are most suitable for your own

• Barriers are things that interrupt the communication process.

• When something in the physical environment and not inside one’s

– Learn how to communicate effectively with others

– It takes time to build and earn trust

• Semantics is the study of meaning in language.

• Different industries can have their own meanings for acronyms.

Recognize generation gaps and differences

Personalize information and messages

Encourage more two-way information sharing

• Create an open door policy • Set communication protocols

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