Communicating for Knowledge Transfer LO18223

Vana Prewitt (vprewitt@mail.rdu.bellsouth.net)
Fri, 29 May 1998 17:13:02 -0400

Replying to LO18209 --

JB,

the areas I am most familiar with are instructional systems design and
adult learning theory. Consider several issues about the communication:

intent (to know something, change behavior, provide a conceptual
understanding, generate creativity???)

medium of delivery (person, video, phone, book, etc)

characteristics of that medium (one-way, two-way, group, static, dynamic,
etc)

duration of communication (minutes, hours, weeks?)

requirements for other resources such as equipment or special environments

Essentially, many elements come into play when designing
communication for "quick and efficient internalization" by the audience.
Each variable will have considerations that affect the success. Studies
have been conducted on the effectiveness of interactivity in learning,
learning style preferences, the importance of reinforcement following the
initial communication (also in marketing research), and particular
strengths of individual media (billboards work great for repeat messages
intended to be seen while moving quickly past but do not provide education
well; but they can be used to reinforce a lesson learned).

This may not be very helpful, but if you can focus your research
question on a specific communication objective, I believe you will be
better positioned to write your paper. The subject, as you have described
it, would consume volumes. You will also want to dive into the psychology
literature, espcially as it relates to learning and to behavior change
(again, marketing is a wealth of information).

If it were me, I would begin with a scenario or assumed
communication objective with specified parameters. Message, audience,
physical / time / budget restraints, etc. Then research the literature to
uncover what techniques are most effective.

regards,
Vana Prewitt
vprewitt@bellsouth.net

Bryant, JB wrote:
> I am soon to begin work on a research paper for a class I am taking in
> Knowledge Management. My final project will be a research paper dealing
> with the effect of form and style on knowledge transfer. In other words,
> how can communication be designed so that it facilitates quick, efficient
> internalization by the end user and greater retention? In the case of
> written communication this might include things like font selection,
> headings, white space, indentation, sentence structure, visual aids, etc.,
> etc. In spoken communication it might include things like voice
> inflection, pitch, though organization, etc., etc.
>
> There are no boundaries on this project. I can make it whatever I want,
> so I am also open for that sort of suggestion as well. My primary
> interest is in how the things Humanities academia has been studying for
> years are being applied to KM. I would be very interested in resources
> originating out of the humanities themselves (such as communications
> theory, learning theory, psychology, journalism, literature, philosophy,
> etc.). I am even more interested in anything coming out of KM and
> Organizational Learning.
>
> "Bryant, JB" <jbryant@cas.org>

-- 

Vana Prewitt <vprewitt@mail.rdu.bellsouth.net>

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