A communication diagram shows the dynamic collaboration between elements. The intention is to focus on how the objects collaborate with each other. Communication diagrams show the exchange of messages (or interactions) between objects and people as well as the relationships or context between the objects or people.
The communication diagram is drawn as an object diagram, where a number of objects are shown along with the relationships between them. Message arrows are drawn between them to show the flow of messages between the objects. Labels are placed on the messages that show the order within which the messages are sent.
At the centre or the top of the diagram there should be either the person who is in charge or the machine or object that is in charge of processing the information. There may be arrows pointing away from and towards the person in charge as they communicate instructions to others who will return the results with further communication back to them.
According to Shannon (1948) there should be 8 components which make up a communication model. Firstly there is the ‘source’ which is the person who creates the message. Then there is the ‘message’ or the information which is sent out. There is a ‘transmitter’ which can be anything from a telephone to face-to-face communication, a letter or an email. Then the ‘signal’, which flows through a channel. A carrier or ‘channel’, which is often represented in the diagram by a small unlabelled box in the middle of the model. The most commonly used channels include air, light, electricity, radio waves, paper and postal systems. Another component is ‘noise’, in the form of secondary signals that obscure or confuse the signal carried, particularly when telephone or face-to-face are the forms of communication. Today we have at least some media which are so noise free but we use noise more as a metaphor for problems associated with effective listening. The 7th component is a ‘receiver’ which could be a computer or a pair of ears. Finally, the communication needs a ‘destination’. Presumably a person who consumes and processes the message.
The communication diagram is drawn as an object diagram, where a number of objects are shown along with the relationships between them. Message arrows are drawn between them to show the flow of messages between the objects. Labels are placed on the messages that show the order within which the messages are sent.
At the centre or the top of the diagram there should be either the person who is in charge or the machine or object that is in charge of processing the information. There may be arrows pointing away from and towards the person in charge as they communicate instructions to others who will return the results with further communication back to them.
According to Shannon (1948) there should be 8 components which make up a communication model. Firstly there is the ‘source’ which is the person who creates the message. Then there is the ‘message’ or the information which is sent out. There is a ‘transmitter’ which can be anything from a telephone to face-to-face communication, a letter or an email. Then the ‘signal’, which flows through a channel. A carrier or ‘channel’, which is often represented in the diagram by a small unlabelled box in the middle of the model. The most commonly used channels include air, light, electricity, radio waves, paper and postal systems. Another component is ‘noise’, in the form of secondary signals that obscure or confuse the signal carried, particularly when telephone or face-to-face are the forms of communication. Today we have at least some media which are so noise free but we use noise more as a metaphor for problems associated with effective listening. The 7th component is a ‘receiver’ which could be a computer or a pair of ears. Finally, the communication needs a ‘destination’. Presumably a person who consumes and processes the message.
