Communication model
The following communication model is based on the classical Shannon-Weaver model. It describes the information flow from sender to receiver. The message is coded by the sender, transferred by a medium, and eventually decoded by receivers. Disruption can occur everywhere, i.e., during coding, transmission, and decoding. Examples of communication disruptions are meaning falsification (e.g., generalization, elimination, distortion, ambiguity, and metaphors), language difficulties, transmission distortion, and distorted perception and interpretation problems.
The memecon® communication model extends the classical model with meaning design steps on the sender and receiver side.
- Sender
Senders develop ideas and send formulated concepts to receivers. The core of a message is the idea that wants to be transmitted. After ideas are collected, topics are identified that will be prepared as concepts. The final, consistent concept is formulated, designed, and transmitted receiver-oriented.
- Channel
The channel is the medium used to transfer the message, e.g. air, paper, and the internet. During this transmission, spatial, temporal, cultural, and linguistic distances need to be compensated. This context change leads to distortions and losses of meaning, e.g., in the translation, not all aspects can be transferred precisely.
- Receiver
Receivers perceive the message with their senses (vakog, i.e., visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory) and associate a personal understanding. Selected senses are addressed depending on the sender's formatting, e.g., through mainly visualization ("A Picture says more than a thousand words "). With the sensuous perception, receivers take over control of the meaning. Based on their knowledge and experience, receivers associate content and develop a positive or negative core message for themselves that motivates them to act or not.
During the communication, the participants change permanently between the roles of sender and receiver. Eventually, based on the exchange of contents, the common understanding emerges, and individual interpretations are not transferred. 100% common understanding is impossible. However, it is essential: The bigger the shared understanding, the better the co-operation.