What is Communication?

Communication is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules. It can also be described as the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing or using some other medium.

Communication can broadly be categorized into verbal, non-verbal and written means.

The main steps inherent to all communication are:

• The formation of communicative motive or reason.
• Message composition (Elaboration on what has to be expressed).
• Message encoding (Eg: Digital data, Written text, Speech, Pictures, Gestures and so on).
• Transmission of the encoded message as a sequence of signals using a specific channel or medium.
• Influence of noise sources such as natural forces and, in some cases, human activity on the quality of signals propagating from the sender to one or more receivers.
• Reception of signals and reassembling of the encoded message from a sequence of received signals.
• Decoding of the reassembled encoded message.
• Interpretation and making sense of the presumed original message.

Communication serves as the foundation for human society and is the guiding principle for interchange of all information, globally.