Service and Communication

1 theory, practice and strategyCOMMUNICATION

Communication as strategy

What is communication as a strategic concept? It is a wide range of many practical, methological and theoreti-cal means of working with messages, channels and effects between people.

When we plan communication, we are try to get a certain result. This strategic thinking involves communication as a theoretical tool to support the practical design and the actual delivery of service.

This means that you must be creative and theoretical communication plan-ners who also must have the skills of using basic visual, oral and written design for digital and printed media.

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Service communication process: a practical approach

The companyStrives to be recognized as a well known and strong brand on the market.

rolesEmployer (company) ...

actionDefines and lead the … communication strategy and branding of services

Managing of brand and of employees.

BehaviourThe meeting between you and the customer, i.e. the experience of the service

rolesEmployees

actionDelivers the … service via strategic communication.

Understanding and listening attitude.

The serviceThe particular kind of service, be it digital, remote or/and in persona.

defines focus points for

Central strategic touchpoint feedback

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Not an official model, it is only an illustration of the interdepence of these main areas. Design by D. Engelby.

Communication paradigms

The humanistic paradigm of communication (roughly!)

Contextual and holistic

Understanding

Oriented toward recievers

Interaction between people

Persons are active in the process

Qualitative

Scientific roots (an excerpt):Philosophy, history, litterature, art, communication, psychology (yes!)

The social sciences’ paradigm of communication (roughly!)

Objectivity and functionalism

Explaining

Orientated toward sender

Transmitting

Persons’ actions are registered

Quantitative

Scientific roots (an excerpt):Economy, politics, linguistics, psychology, and classic sociology

Busch et al., 2011

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Communication: “retro theory”

From stimulus to response (the injection theory / propaganda) as formulated by Lasswell in 1927. This model asserts that the reciever will according to the message. The logic is: the louder you shout, the better the response.

Evaluated S-R model: The “O” acknowledges that there is communication via an organism, and not direct transfer. This also changes the idea of the same response for all.

S

S

R

O R

Busch et al., 2011: 80 ff.

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Communication: “retro theory”Lasswell later formulated this famous formula in 1948. This type of theory/model is called a classic functionalistic and structuralistic model. The focus is on the sender, although there is an awareness of the reciever. The intended receiver is spotted and the effect must be observed.

COMMUNICATOR MESSAGE MEDIUM RECIEVER EFFECT

Busch et al., 2011: 80 ff.

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WHO?SAYS

WHAT?IN WHICH CHANNEL?

TO WHOM?

WITH WHAT

EFFECT?

Communication: “retro theory”Many other structuralistic models also builds on the classic mathematical-linear model by Shannon and Weaver (1948), for example the marketing communication model by Philip Kotler. Notice the feedback and the noise is added.

Busch et al., 2011: 80 ff.

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Sender Encoding

Feedback

MESSAGEmedia

noise

ReceiverDecoding

Response

Communication: “retro theory”Paul Lazarsfelds develops another structuralistic model (1944), implementing the effects of mass media and opinion leaders. This is called the Two Step Flow Model.

Opinion leader

Individuals in social contact with the opinion leader

Busch et al., 2011: 80 ff.

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MASS MEDIA

Communication: holistic approachThere are ways of combining the structuralistic paradigm with the humanistic and more holistic paradigm. Sandra and Michael Rouse have developed an integrated communications strategy, implementing cultural complexity (2002). Before we take a look at the actual model, there are four main elements which we need to look at, as they are the stra-tegic planning elements:

Rouse & Rouse, 2002.

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Communicator Strategy

Set your objectives!(general / specific)

Assessment of: credibility

imagecultural values

ideas

Audience Strategy

Know your audience!

What do your audience know

about you?

Motivate your audience!

Message Strategy

Structure and emphasis

Messsage style:persuade inform or consult?

Channel Strategy

Face-to-face? (present or online?)

Remote/digital?Remote/analogue?

Oral, writing, web, body language etc.

Communication: holistic approachSandra and Michael Rouse: integrated communications strategy model. Observe the four strategies and their interdependent roles in culture and context.

Rouse & Rouse, 2002: 96. I have taken the liberty to change the original “transmission” to “interaction”.

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Formulate Interpret

Encode DecodeMESSAGE and

INTERACTION via CHANNEL

SENDER RECEIVERMessage Strategy

Channel StrategyCommunicator Strategy Audience Strategy

CULTURE / CONTEXT / FEEDBACKCULTURE / CONTEXT / FEEDBACK

Communication process: AIETA framework

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Rogers, 1962 (via http://goo.gl/v31s5F).

AWARENESS

The individual is aware of “it” and learns of

the product, but knows little or

nothing about it

cognitive phaseJust awereness

sees / hears / reads

TRIAL

He/she may experiment with the product on a

small scale (via samples or limited offers) in an effort to

learn how to use it to his or her

best advantage

ADOPTION

He/she begins use, which can

lead to potentialpreference,

satisfaction, and repeat purchase

INTEREST

He/she becomes interested, and begins to seek

information

affective phaseEmotional response

investigating / asks others about it

EVALUATION

He/she imagines him- or herself

responding positively to

the message. At this point he/she asks the

question:“Can I see myself

as the user or owner of this

product?”

Rogers (1962) created this semi-structuralistic framework, which also aims at implementing the nature of the diffusion of the product. Trial is an integrated part, but can be omitted in service design.

Communication process: Holistic framework

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Source: Jeneanne Rae via: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MC_jmtlrOQ

Or perhaps it’s not that simple? ”You can explain it as being linear, but it’s not linear at all. People are bouncing around in your system all the time.” (Rae)

WANTING

SEARCHING

EXPERIENCING

WANTING MORE

The Communication Cube

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Petersen & Lund, 2000: 75.

MAINTAINRELATIONS

CHANGE/DEVELOP/ENDRELATIONSW

HAT

(pur

pose

are

a)

NEWLY ESTABLISHEDRELATIONS

Relations between two persons

Relations between few persons

Relations to/between

many persons

physical process

dialogue process

social-psychologic

process

WHO(people area)

WH

O(sem

antic/semiotic area)

Communication ressources: MoSCoW Method

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Source: http://goo.gl/iZqoLW. * Occasionally the word “Would” is substituted for “Won’t” to give a clearer understanding of this choice.

MoSCoW is a technique used in business analysis to reach a common understanding with stakeholders on the importance they place on the delivery of each requirement − also known as MoSCoW prioritisation or MoSCoW analysis.

M MUST

Describes a requirement that

must be satisfied in the final solution for the solution

to be considered a success.

S SHOULD

Represents a high-priority item that

should be included in the solution if it is possible.

This is often a critical requirement but one

which can be satisfied in other ways if necessary.

C COULD

Describes a require-ment which is

considered desirable but not necessary.

This will be included if time and resources

permit.

W WON’T

(or would not now *)

Represents a requirement that

stakeholders have agreed will not be implemented in a given release, but

may be considered for the future.

Oral presentation: The Fish Framework

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Busch et al. 2011: 80 ff.

INTROShow who you are

Show your agenda

Introduce the topics

ENDConclusion

Questions and comments from audience

MIDDLEThis is the part where you

elaborate on the topics, you’ve introduced

Demonstrate your knowledge

Know when to use facts and when (or if) to state your own

opinions and preferences

Use partial conclusions

You can use a good story

Bibliography

References

Anne Mette Busch et al. (2011):Kommunikation i multimediedesign.Hans Reitzel/Gyldendal Akademisk.

Sandra & Michael Rouse (2002):Business Communication. A Cultural and Strategic Approach. Cengage Learning.

Rogers, E. (1962): Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press.

Helle Petersen & Anne K. Lund (2000):Den kommunikerende organisation.Samfundslitteratur.

Background literature/ressources

Sean McPheat (2012): “Effective Communication Skills”.bookboon.com publising.Download the document here (PDF):http://goo.gl/ZNkNAU

Traditional paradigms of communication: http://goo.gl/ggcNG2

AIETA framework (PDF):http://goo.gl/v31s5F

MoSCoW Method:http://goo.gl/iZqoLW

Graphic design by D. EngelbySlideshare profile:http://www.slideshare.net/engelby

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