What to consider when creating and using IT tools for communication? New theories and new practices.

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Let's start by simply listing what existed before and how things have changed now.

The creation, storage, promotion of information, and its recipient - remain the same.

But why do we now talk about “communication tools” when discussing media, and why has "sociality" become its defining characteristic?

Canadian scholar and publicist Herbert Marshall McLuhan, who profoundly influenced the minds of social thinkers in the latter half of the last century, views changes not simply as technical or instrumental. He speaks of an expansion of human consciousness that leaves us no longer able to exist within previous social structures, irrevocably changing us. “...our central nervous system, technologically extended outwards, involves us in the life of all humanity and implants the entire human race within us.”

Indeed, McLuhan rightly draws our attention to the fact that not only are all cultural artifacts (“what is created by man”) a “message,” but also that the communication tools themselves are a message - albeit of a special kind. Their influence on humans isn’t detected at the level of ideas and concepts; it "changes sensory proportions and schematism of perception." That is, at the level of brain function, unconsciously and involuntarily. Moreover, the consequences of the emergence of communication tool technologies - from petroglyphs, writing, and printing to social media - have always had not just a correlation with qualitative changes and leaps in historical process, but also a direct impact on the structure of society.

What has changed so significantly in communication tool technologies that media have acquired this “sociality,” which has taken center stage and set the tone for a new formation?

Social networks allow users to "define symbolic and communicative codes" themselves, rather than using default codes embedded by culture and social environment.

Leaving aside several conditions (belonging to a specific type of culture, the degree of certainty of perceived information, the intensity of experience and associated cognitive metamorphoses), we can generally say that online communication “cools” the degree of unconscious perception. The user builds their perception into a unique one, based on their attitude towards the content creator, including the possibility of addressing and personal communication (feedback). Users have the opportunity to self-organize around interests and communities. Adding the speed of dissemination and low barriers to access any kind of content allows researchers to speak of the phenomenon of “demassification of communication” and “audience segmentation” online.

McLuhan clearly sympathizes with these changes and welcomes the departure of "Western man of writing." Moreover, he questions the very significance of human language ability. However, not everyone views the changes so optimistically or is ready for culture to assimilate new formations.

We have compiled a number of important questions in this context:

 - What will happen when concepts become blurred as conventions and the ability of organized teams to move in a common direction diminishes?

 - What level of self-organization should we expect, and how will process management methods change towards general benefit and efficiency, taking into account self-organizing effects?

 - Are there risky scenarios online that resemble mob mentality with its destructiveness and manipulability for dishonest purposes?

 - How can we distinguish schizophrenic effects of disintegrating cognitive/thought from movement toward new possibilities?

 - What mental tools, emerging in the conditions of a new symbolism and new goals, do we still need to be able to access “pre-conceptual communication", or if you like, "post-conceptual communication?”

Conclusion.

When planning communication for business purposes and management goals, it will be useful to consider the new features of online communication and supplement it with new organizational methods that take into account the current moment and new generations of employees. Use self-organization as a new factor in process management.

 - How should we plan communication for business purposes and management goals?

When planning communication for business purposes and management goals, it will be useful to consider the new features of online communication and supplement it with new organizational methods that take into account the current moment and new generations of employees.

 - Is it worthwhile to seriously consider self-organization in the process management system?

We can and should think about using self-organization as a new factor in process management.

 - Does customer targeting still work?

Consider whether business communication should always be built on target groups, or if it’s time to start considering personalized communication.

 - Why are screen elements not just the whim of a visual designer? 

Treat the design equipment of screens as elements with an understanding of their symbolism and cognitive background.