Centralized Communication

Centralized Communication



Over the past 20 years,  there has been a new type of communication available to anyone with an internet connection.  This communication has led to the ability to transfer thoughts, ideas, and conversations around the world at the speed of light.  It has opened up the opportunity to countless opportunities to talk and share ideas, with just about anyone.  However, there are also downfalls associated with such an easy and quick form of communication.  In some ways, some would argue that communication has broken down.  How could that be true if we have all of this technology available at our finger tips to use?

Cyber communication is a quick efficient way to communicate with just about anyone around the world.  It allows for anyone at anytime to video chat, conference call, e-mail, or text anytime day or night.  With all of the options to contact an individual, it can lead to some breakdown in communication.  One such problem is what type of communication would be best?  Everyone these days has multiple e mail addresses, phone numbers, or other electronic accounts to be contacted at.  If those accounts are not checked on a regular basis this could lead to poor communication.   This is not to say that there are not benefits of cyber communication.

Utilizing computers to communicate has opened up possibilities in many different areas in our day to day lives.  In the work environment people are now able to work from home, without losing any ability to communicate with their co-workers.  The idea of business travel has also changed with the advancements in teleconferencing, video chat, and screen sharing.  Leah P. Macfadyen (2004) points out that companies are now saving billions of dollars a year on travel, since most meetings can be held via video chat.   With all these advancements the need to travel for a meeting is no longer as necessary.  Schools have also been impacted by this revolution in communication.  Now there are complete degrees that can be obtained without even setting foot inside a class room.  This trend is set to accelerate in the future as technology continues to advance.

So the question becomes how can we better utilize the various cyber tools we all have at our disposal?   As pointed out in TIME Tech Bajarin (2013) “Maybe it will be the TV or wearable devices that will enable new ways to communicate. One thing, however, is highly likely: The millennial generation that embraced new technologies and adopted them into their communication methods will be the generation that brings us the next major innovation in communication.”  On the way to this innovation would be to create a center point for all communication.  A solution would be to take a program that would take all of those e mail address, phone numbers, and online chat communications and put them in to a single point of access.  This way the individual would always know where to check for new communication threads.  This centralized location could also work for text messages, calendar appointments and events, as well as voice mail.  It would also need to be easily accessed via the cloud on mobile devices, tablets, and the internet.  I personally already see this at my work, where all voice mail, texts, and chats get directly sent to my main work e mail.  That way I don’t miss when someone is trying to contact me.

Leah P. Macfadyen (2004).  Negotiating Cultures in Cyberspace: Participation Patterns and Problematics
Bajarin,Ben (2013)  Where We’ll Find the Next Major Communication Innovation.  Retrieved 09/28/13 from  http://techland.time.com/2013/09/03/where-well-find-the-next-major-communication-innovation/