Noah Counte

Media Richness Theory (MRT) was developed in 1984 by a couple of guys (Daft and Lengel) well before computers became a common means of interpersonal communication. It was designed to encourage people to think about what means of communication they were going to employ, based on the message they hope to convey. The richer the media, the nearer the top of the continuum:



In a nutshell, MRT suggests that the richer the media one chooses to employ in their communications, the more likely a message is to be received in the manner intended. The richer the media, the more cues are exchanged concurrently with the message itself (facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, etc.), and the greater the opportunity for immediate feedback. Two Rules of thumb: choose the richest media available, and use richer media for more personal communications. Choosing media that is not rich enough subjects one's message to the possibility of misinterpretation. Why? Consider a message that reads "You are full of sh*t."

In an unaddressed memo sent to the entire department, some ego-centric idiots who actually are full of it are apt to believe that the message is aimed at someone else, while some overly sensitive souls who smell of roses will be sure that the memo is aimed at them and will internalize this slight. Perhaps they will end up in counseling because of it.

If the same sentence comes in the form of a letter, addressed to one person in particular, the communication is still subject to the possibility of misinterpretation. Perhaps the author is joking, but there are no cues to suggest as much. Perhaps the author is serious, but the receiver perceives the communication as a joke.

If the communication comes as a phone call, it is still possible to misinterpret. A gruff tone of voice may imply seriousness, but the receiver cannot see the twinkle in the eye of the speaker.
Face to face communication, then is the most effective way to tell someone they are full of sh*t. Of course, even the richest media is subject to failings - but far less than less rich forms of communication.

The inverse holds true: it is unnecessary to meet all employees face to face in order to tell them of an extended weekend. A memo will work just fine.
Of course, the computer has changed communication in dramatic ways. Many new means of communication are available that were not conceived of in 1984. They all manage to fit into the original continuum, however:



This chart shows that, at the bottom, computer languages may be exchanged between computer users, but it conveys less richness than even unaddressed memo. However, the real joy of computer mediated communication is the range of communication that now exists between email/letters and face to face communications. We can convey added meaning with emoticons, and by adding audio and even video to our IM or chat conversations.

MRT in its inception was designed to guide media choice. In the age of CMC, it serves to remind us as senders of communication, that what we mean to say may not be what people hear. Sarcasm, for example, does not translate well in blog posts or message boards. It also serves to remind us, as receivers of information, that what we perceive may very well not be what was intended by the sender.


Daft, R.L. & Lengel, R.H. (1984). Information richness: a new approach to managerial behavior and organizational design. In: Cummings, L.L. & Staw, B.M. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior 6, (191-233). Homewood, IL: JAI Press.