402- Information Technology Ch-1 Communication Skills-II

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402- Information Technology Ch-1 Communication Skills-II

 Communication:
Exchanging the information between two or more people using any medium is known as
communication. Communication helps to exchange information, thoughts or knowledge
through speaking, writing or using any other mediums.

 The Communication Cycle : (Elements of Communication)

Communication cycle refers to the process by which a message is sent from a source,
received by a recipient, and responded to by the recipient in a certain medium. The
entire process consists of seven elements.

 Sender: The sender is an individual, group, or an organisation that begins the

communication.
 Message: A message is a communication shared by the sender with an individual, group,
or an organisation.
 Encoding: It is the process of turning thoughts into communication using symbols,
words, or pictures.
 Channel: It is the medium through which the message is delivered to the intended
audience — for example, email or speech.
 Receiver: The receiver can be an individual, group, or an organisation who receives the
message.
 Decoding: The process of interpreting and understanding the message.
 Response/Feedback: The process of conveying feedback on understanding of the
message to the sender.

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 Why are communication skills important in our daily lives?

 Communication skills are essential for effective interaction with others. They help in
expressing thoughts, ideas, and feelings, and in understanding the perspectives of
others.
 Good communication fosters better relationships, reduces misunderstandings, and is
crucial for success in various aspects of life.

 What are the learning objectives of communication?

 Learning objectives of Effective communication are:
o Sending, receiving and understanding the message or information
o Development of Interposal Skills
o To express effectively with maximum efficiency

 Methods/Types of Communication:

 Verbal Communication:
 Verbal communication means communication through spoken oral and written words.
It is the ability to communicate using words in understandable language i.e. English,
Hindi, French, and Urdu etc.

Types of Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication is of two types. These are
1. Oral communication: It means communication through speaking and listening. Two
individuals conversing with each other, either face-to-face or through the telephone is on
example of oral communication.
2. Written communication: This is a medium of communication that entails the written
word. Letters, e-mails, websites, memorandums, reports, notices, Sender manuals,
quotations, newsletters, newspapers etc., are forms of written communication.

Advantages Verbal Communication:

1. Ease: Simple and straightforward way of communication.
2. Adaptability: Allows for adjustments based on the listener's response.
3. Immediacy: Enables quick exchange of information.
4. Clarity: Facilitates clear understanding through spoken words.

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Disadvantages of Verbal Communication:

1. Dependency on Words: Relies on the accuracy of spoken words, leading to potential
misunderstandings.
2. Lack of Permanent Record: Information is not always documented, making it challenging
to reference.
3. Limited Non-Verbal Cues: Absence of visual and body language cues can lead to
misinterpretations.
4. Potential for Confusion: Without precise wording, meanings may be unclear or confusing.

 Non-Verbal Communication:
 Non-verbal communication refers to communication that happens in the absence of
spoken or written words. Message is conveyed through tone of voice, facial expressions,
eye contact, physical movements, facial expressions, gestures, postures,
paralanguage(to express feelings), touch and space.

Type of non - verbal communication:

1. Facial expressions - The movement and changes of the face are the facial expressions.
Many times, facial expressions show the feelings of a person. For example, expressing your
thoughts using a smile, when we are happy, or when we are sad

2. Posture - Postures means body of the positions, postures show how confident you are
and your emotional feelings. For example, straight body posture means confidence.

3. Gestures or Body language - Gestures means with the help of hands or head if you are
sharing any idea or meaning. for example, pointing, waving and using our hands when
speaking

4. Touch - Some time we communicate using touch we also share messages to others, for
example hand shaking and patting on the back.

5. Space - When the two people are communicating and you will find some space between
these two people depending on closeness or intimacy between them.

6. Eye contact - Maintaining eye contact is very important when you are talking about
interest, whereas, looking at any other side can make the other person feel ignored.

7. Paralanguage - Tone of our voice, speed and volume that makes a difference in the
meaning is a paralanguage.

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Advantages of Non-Verbal Communication:

1. Enhances understanding – Clarifies or reinforces verbal messages.
2. Expresses emotions – Conveys feelings more effectively than words.
3. Cross-cultural communication – Bridges language barriers with universal gestures.
4. Subtlety and nuance – Allows expression of feelings or opinions without words.
5. Increases impact – Makes verbal messages more powerful and engaging.

Disadvantages of Non-Verbal Communication:

1. Misinterpretation – Cues can be easily misunderstood.
2. Lack of clarity – Can be vague or unclear without context.
3. Limited expression – Hard to convey complex ideas without words.
4. Inconsistent – Can conflict with verbal messages, causing confusion.
5. Cultural variations – Meanings of gestures differ across cultures.

 Visual Communication:
Visual communication conveys ideas and information in forms that can be seen.
It is also known as graphic communication. It includes graphic design, illustration and
animation, books, print, magazines, screen based media, interactive web design, motion
graphics, short film, visual imagery for advertising and promotion, corporate identity
and packaging design etc.

Advantages of Visual Communication:

1. Clarity: Makes complex information easier to understand.

2. Engagement: Captures attention and keeps the audience engaged.
3. Memorability: People tend to remember visual content more than text.
4. Universal Appeal: Overcomes language barriers through universally understood visuals.
5. Quick Conveyance: Delivers messages faster than lengthy text explanations.
6. Effective for Emotions: Can convey feelings and moods effectively (e.g., in
advertisements).

Disadvantages of Visual Communication:

1. Misinterpretation: Images can be misinterpreted, leading to confusion.

2. Limited Detail: May lack the depth and nuance of written or spoken communication.
3. Cultural Differences: Visuals may not be universally understood across different cultures.
4. Dependence on Design: Poor design can hinder message delivery.
5. Over-simplification: Complex concepts may be oversimplified in visuals.

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 Importance of Feedback:
 Feedback is the final step in the communication cycle.
 It is the receiver's response to the message, which enables the sender to evaluate the
effectiveness of the message sent.
 Feedback plays a very important role in communication cycle. If there is absence of
feedback then it will lead to a communication barrier.
 For example, if the receiver doesn't understand the meaning of the message, the sender
can know this by the feedback received and can improve the message accordingly.
 For the feedback to be effective, it must be clear, well in time, specific, having the right
attitude, true and honest, impersonal and informative. It is important because proper
feedback helps avoid misunderstandings.

 Types of Feedback:
 There is some important feedback in communication cycle as follows:

1. Descriptive Feedback: A descriptive feedback provides meaningful information in a

detailed, expensive manner that also contains some analysis or suggestion etc.
Ex.: Develop thinking, problem-solving skills

2. Specific Feedback: The specific feedback provides detailed or specific information about
something particular. It is important as it gives the receiver something specific to think
about and even work on the areas that need improvement.
Ex.: Presentation on sales process

3. Non-Specific Feedback: (General) The non-specific talks about the entire think while
giving a more value as it fails to guide the receiver properly to achieve the desired goal.
Ex.: Great job!

 Effective Communication:
(key elements/components of effective communication)
It is the process of exchanging ideas, thought, on knowledge and data, so that the
message is conveyed with clarity and purpose. When we communicate effectively, both
the sender and receiver feel satisfied. These are the key components of effective
communication.

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 Barriers to Effective Communication:

Anything that prevents or disturbs the sending or receiving of a communication or
message is considered as a barrier to communication. Speaking louder to drown out the
noise is a measure to overcome a barrier to communication. The types of barriers to
effective communication include:

1. Physical and Environment Based Barriers:

 These are environmental factors which prevent or reduce the sending and receiving of
communications.
 They include gestures, posture, and physical distance, distracting noises, speech
problem or learning disabilities.
 These can be overcome with proper training and practice.

2. Language:
 Language is essential for any kind of communication. Different people interpret
language differently.
 In addition, it becomes difficult when people do not understand each other's language,
use of unfamiliar words, wrong usage of words and phrases, too many abbreviations,
and insufficient detail are other things that can come in the way of effective
communication.
 For example, the sender of an email may write the message in a way that s/he thinks is
polite. However, the receiver may detect a certain tone in the email, which may prompt
him or her to reply in a certain way.

3. Culture:
 Our cultural beliefs affect how we think and act, how we judge people and situations.
 It can make us behave as such certain way like, right or wrong, normal or strange.
 Mannerism, gestures and signs can have different meanings in different cultures.
 For example, ‘V’ sign is for victory and piece in US, but in many countries it is considered
as insult.

4. Visual Perception:
 Visual perception is the way you interpret and assign meaning to what you see. Different
people can have different visual perceptions. For example, two persons may look at an
abstract painting and infer two completely different meanings.
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5. Past Experience:
 A person's past experience plays a pivotal role in shaping the perception of
communication, and an unpleasant experience may influence the future
communication.
 For example, you may have had an experience where an idea of yours was not
considered. In future, when asked to give an idea, you may be hesitant to suggest any,
or may not suggest anything at all.

6. Prejudice:
 You can have prejudices because of your cultural beliefs or personal experiences.
 When you are biased against someone or something, you communicate according to a
pre-existing belief. Such communication can have negative results.

7. Feelings:
 Feelings and emotions give rise to miscommunication, hurt feelings, and also severe ties.
This is why it is necessary to keep a check on emotions.
 For example, during a heated discussion with someone, there is a high probability of
you lashing out at someone, or saying something hurtful. Anger can affect the way you
behave; it can make you express yourself in unhealthy ways, thus impacting
interpersonal relationships.

8. Environment:
 The environment affects the way we communicate. A soothing, relaxed environment
makes communication easier, while a noisy and crowded environment hinders
communication.
 For example, the familiar environment at home makes us communicate in a certain way,
whereas communication in a public place is different.

9. Personal Factors:
 Habits and our way of thinking can influence our communication.
 For example, if we lack confidence, our communication may sound unconvincing.

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 Measures to Overcome Barriers:

To ensure that barriers to communication do not arise or can be overcome, we can take
some steps related to the factors causing the barriers.
The steps to be taken for overcoming some of these factors are:

Be Prepared: Before Communicating we do not have enough information or knowledge of

what we want to communicate.

Give Sufficient Time. If it is not done at a suitable speed the receiver may miss its important
points or may not understand it at all.

Language: Both the sender and receiver of the communication must have sufficient
knowledge of the language in which they are communicating. If this is not confirmed, it is
better to use simplified language with easily understood words and simple ideas.

Don't assume feedback: The sender should only rely on suitable feedback about the
understanding of the message.

Avoid Overconfidence: The sender and receiver have a humble attitude when
communicating a message.

Preconceived Expectations: When the receiver has a different perception from that of the
sender, communication is affected. This can be overcome by thinking from the speaker's
point of view.

Avoid Making Judgements: Communication can fail if the message communicated passes
some judgement against the receiver. It makes the receiver defensive, thus creating a
barrier. So, this kind of situation should be avoided.

Respect the Receiver: There should be mutual respect for each other by the sender and the
receiver for a message to be successfully communicated.

Improve the Attitude: The receiver should not have apathy towards the sender and vice-
versa; otherwise there will be a breakdown in communication.

Information Overload/ Attention Span: Giving too many details reduces the receiver's
ability to concentrate on the important parts of the message.

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 Principles of a Effective Communication

 Why do we need to follow 7’c principles?
The most basic principle for a communication to be effective is that the intended
message of the sender and the interpreted message of the receiver are one and the
same. Although this should be the goal in any communication, it is not always achieved.
Thus, a set of principles needs to be followed to ensure it. The most popular name of
these basic principles is known as 7C's of Effective Communication.

 The 7C's of Effective Communication:

These principles of effective communication are:

Concise: It means communicating what you want to convey in the least possible words so
that there are no unnecessary bits of information in it. A concise communication is both
time-saving as well as cost-saving.

Clear: It implies emphasising a specific message in a communication instead of trying to

cover too many items in one communication.

Correct: It implies that there are no grammatical, spellings or punctuation errors in the
communication being sent.

Concrete: It implies being objective and clear, rather than confused or obscure. A concrete
message will have specific facts and figures.

Coherent: A message must be logical. In the message all the information should be
connected and relevant to the topics. It handles the flow and tone of the message.

Complete: The message must be complete, meaning that it should convey all the
information required by the receiver.

Courteous: A courteous message should use words which show the sender's respect for the
receiver. Thus, the sender of the message should be sincerely polite and well-mannered.

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Basic Writing Skills

 Phrases:
 Phrases are a group of words that work together to communicate an element of speech.
There are five types of phrases as:
* Prepositional phrase * Appositive phrase * Participial phrase

* Gerund phrase * Infinitive phrase

 The sentence:
 A sentence is a set of words that is complete in itself and which contains a subject part
and predicate part. Sometimes both parts may not be written for it to complete. It
conveys a statement, question, exclamation or command.

Kinds of sentence:

There are four types of sentences. These are:

Form Function Final

Punctuation
Declarative statement It tells us something -
Interrogative question It asks us something ?
Imperative command It tells us to do something ! or.
Exclamative exclamation It expresses surprise !

 Articles:
 An article is a kind of adjective which is always used with a noun and gives some
information about it.
 The words 'a' and 'an' are called indefinite articles because they go with indefinite or
general noun.
 The word "the" is known as a definite article because it refers to a specific noun.
 For Example,
I will reach home within an hour.
It is difficult to find a one-rupee currency note in the present day.

 Paragraph:
A paragraph is a group of sentences dealing with a particular topic. Paragraphs can be of
any length and can vary from only one sentence to even more than ten sentences.

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 Part of speech:

Words are classified into different part of speech:

Noun it is a word for a person, place, thing or idea. Nouns are sometimes used with an
article.
Example: The young boy brought me a very long letter from the teacher.

Pronoun: It is used in place of a noun.

Example: Jagdish was in a hurry, so he washed the car himself.

Verb: It expresses an action or the state of the subject in the sentence.

Example Jagdish was in a hurry, so he washed the car himself.

Adjective it is a word used to modify or describe a noun or a pronoun.

Example The young boy brought me a very long letter from the class teacher.

Adverb: it describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, but never a noun.

Example: She laughed loudly.

Preposition: It is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to link it to another word in the
sentence.

Example The mouse jumped off the table onto the floor of the room.

Conjunction: It joins words, phrases, or clauses and indicates the relationship between
them.

Example: You can have either chocolate or vanilla ice-cream.

Interjection: It is a word used to express emotion. It is often followed by an exclamation

mark.
Example: Oh God! I don't know what to do about this mess.

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