PMGT5872 · People and Communications
Models of Communication
Week 2 treats communication as a two-way, interactive process — sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and noise — and traces the classic models from Lasswell and Shannon-Weaver through Berlo, Foulger and Dwyer. It introduces DISC communication preferences, the main barriers and biases that distort messages, and how to adapt communication to the project type (waterfall, agile or hybrid). These ideas recur in the group report, where you must justify a communication approach for a specific audience and project.
What this chapter covers
- 01Communication as an interactive process: encode, send, channel, receive, decode, feedback, noise
- 02Lasswell (1948) and Shannon-Weaver (1949): one-way models criticised for having no feedback
- 03Berlo's SMCR (1960): source, message, channel, receiver with sub-factors
- 04Foulger's ecological model (2004) and Dwyer's interactive process (2015): cyclic, roles exchange
- 05Taylor, Rosegrant & Meyer's four communication types: intrapersonal, interpersonal, public, mass
- 06Adapting to project type: waterfall (formal, plan-driven) vs agile (informal, facilitative) vs hybrid (shift gears)
- 07DISC styles: Dominant, Influencer, Steady, Compliant (pace fast/slow x focus task/people)
- 08Communication barriers and sources of bias (halo, recency, preconceived opinions, triggered words)
Applied: identify the model gap, the DISC style, and the right project-type channel
- +2(a) The missing feedback loop. Lasswell and Shannon-Weaver are one-way models criticised precisely because they have no feedback; broadcasting a report and assuming receipt repeats that flaw. Communication is only complete when the receiver decodes the message and feeds back understanding.
- +2(b) Fast pace plus task focus is the Dominant (D) style. The risk is that a D communicator is brief and directive and may under-invest in confirming that others share the priorities, so messages are sent but not mutually understood.
- +2(c) Match the channel to the project type. Agile work is iterative and trust-based, so replace the one-way weekly report with informal, interactive channels — a daily stand-up and a shared board — that surface issues and invite immediate feedback, keeping the long report only for stable, plan-driven elements.
Key terms
- Feedback loop
- The return of the receiver's understanding to the sender that makes communication two-way. Its absence is the standard criticism of the Lasswell and Shannon-Weaver models.
- Shannon-Weaver model
- A 1949 transmission model (source, transmitter, channel, noise, receiver, destination) that introduced noise but has no feedback path.
- Berlo's SMCR
- Berlo's 1960 model (Source, Message, Channel, Receiver), each with sub-factors such as communication skills, attitudes, knowledge, social system and culture.
- DISC
- A style model on two axes (pace, focus): Dominant (fast/task), Influencer (fast/people), Steady (slow/people), Compliant (slow/process). Used to adapt message framing.
- Noise
- Any interference — physical, psychological, semantic or cultural — that distorts a message between sender and receiver.
- Hybrid communication
- Adapting communication by project type: formal plan-driven channels for stable scope and informal agile channels for uncertain scope, shifting gears as needed.
Models of Communication FAQ
What is the main criticism of the early communication models?
Lasswell (1948) and Shannon-Weaver (1949) treat communication as a one-way transmission from a sender to a receiver, with no feedback. Later models — Berlo's SMCR, Foulger's ecological model and Dwyer's interactive process — add the receiver's response and treat communication as cyclic, where roles exchange and understanding is confirmed. For a project manager, the practical lesson is that sending a message is not the same as communicating.
How do I use DISC without stereotyping people?
DISC describes a communication preference along pace (fast/slow) and focus (task/people), not a fixed personality. Use it to adapt how you frame a message — leading with the bottom line for a Dominant style, allowing warmth and discussion for an Influencer or Steady style — while staying alert that people flex across situations. It is a lens for adapting your own communication, not a label to pin on colleagues.
How should communication differ between waterfall and agile projects?
Waterfall projects are predictable and plan-driven, so they lean on formal, scheduled channels: status reports, milestone reviews and documented plans. Agile projects are iterative and uncertain, so they use informal, facilitative, trust-based channels: stand-ups, boards and frequent conversation. Hybrid projects shift gears, using formal channels for the stable parts and agile channels for the uncertain parts.
Can AI help me with communication models in PMGT5872?
Yes. Sia can explain each model, contrast them on the feedback question, quiz you on identifying DISC styles from a scenario, and help you justify a channel choice for a given project type in your group report. It explains the method and checks your reasoning; it does not write your assessment, and academic-integrity rules apply.
Exam move
Learn the models as a progression toward feedback: one-way (Lasswell, Shannon-Weaver) then interactive (Berlo, Foulger, Dwyer), and be able to name the feedback criticism. Drill DISC by classifying people you know on the two axes and predicting how to adapt to each. Practise matching channels to project type (waterfall/agile/hybrid), since the group report asks you to justify exactly this. Keep a short list of the common barriers and biases so you can spot them in a scenario. Confirm task details for your session on Canvas.
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