Media richness theory

The Medienreichhaltigkeitstheorie (also engl. Media Richness Theory) is a communication theory explains the requirements for communication media. It goes back to work of Robert H. Lengel and Richard L. Daft from the 1980s. It applies to statements about the relationship of the content to be communicated and the medium over which the communication should proceed. This ratio is provided by the theory to be proportional. The more ambiguous, unreliable transferable and complex the situation is to be transmitted (communication task), the richer the media should be according to the theory.

Communication

The theory can not be used with any form of communication to the choice of an effective medium, but explains the media choice when collaborative tasks to be solved during the communication. Such situations would include decision-making, voting and feedback.

Assessment of media choice

The choice of medium will be divided according to the theory in three areas. The choice is effective when the Informationsreichhaltigkeit the medium is adapted to the complexity of the task. If the medium is too complex, the theory describes the election as " overcomplication ". Problems are ensue avoidable ambiguity and usually a distraction by the communication technology. Too little complex media " oversimplification " called. The issues that arise in these media choice lack of feedback and interpretation difficulties with respect to the transmitted information.

Relation to synchronicity

Communication is synchronous or asynchronous. In reference to the richness of the medium, a certain relation to synchronicity falls on the more complex and information- rich medium, the more likely it is a synchronous communication. Synchronicity offers above all the little delayed feedback to the transmitted content.

Use

The theory explains the issues many people from everyday life are known and people learn when dealing with communication. It is therefore to observe that based actually an effective choice of media takes place on this experience in everyday life.

The formal explanations of the theory are to be used by professional and technical demands on communications systems that reflect the sociological systems. This concerns, for example, the e-learning and there especially the Computer -Supported Cooperative Learning and Computer Supported Cooperative Work, and as especially decision support systems.

Examples

• Little rich media are letters or e- mails. You can for example be used for appointment scheduling and for the simplest questions. These are therefore used primarily for the votes likely to require little discussion or feedback.

• Very rich media are forms of personal communication ie discussions, meetings and workshops. Subdividing can this "face- to-face " communication yet on whether and how extensively present supporting information such as presentations, building plans, models, specifications, etc..

Criticism

Although the Medienreichhaltigkeitstheorie may appear spontaneously catchy, it could be empirically confirmed but so far never.

Dennis & Valacich have continued the approaches of Medienreichhaltigkeitstheorie in their Media Synchronicity Theory and empirically founded.