Synchronous communication

The communication is one of the oldest processes by which individuals develop the ability to transmit their thoughts or information . Today, thanks to innovation and the continuous development of technology , there is the possibility of being able to establish communication media without requiring the physical presence of people to communicate. This is the case of synchronous communication which is based on the exchange of information through the internet .

What does it consist of

It consists of a type of communication that occurs at the moment and in which several people can participate as long as they can be connected to each other through the internet . It is a process through which different types of important information can be shared among several, giving importance to time, since it is done at a specific time.

What is synchronous communication for?

Synchronous communication helps us to carry out an adequate exchange of information in real time using the internet through instant messages such as chat. It also serves to establish conversations in real time in which the information is transmitted orally.

Synchronous communication characteristics

Among the main characteristics that can be observed in this type of communication, the following are mentioned:

• It includes two or more individuals who communicate with each other in real time.
• You need internet service to establish yourself.
• The exchange of information occurs at the moment.
• It uses different types of technological platforms to be able to establish the communication process.
• Provides the option of being able to engage in dialogue or discuss information with other people who are in a different geographical position.
• It is widely used in the daily lives of all individuals.
• It allows to establish personal contacts between two or more people.
• It is the main option to share matters related to education or work .
• Communication occurs synchronously without the presence of any type of time limitations .
• Through it, the storage of information considered as important is also possible .
• It does not have any rules of interaction unless they are established in advance.
• It needs to be constantly updated taking into account that technology advances and changes day by day.

History

Experts believe that the history of synchronous communication began when the telephone was invented. With the passage of time, it evolved and in the year 1860 , this type of communication was of the utmost importance for many. With the advent of information and communication technologies , synchronous communication has become one of the main means of engaging in conversations and sharing important information .

Elements of synchronous communication

The elements of this type of communication are mainly found in the tools that make communication possible in real time. In addition to the interlocutors , who are an essential part of the communication process, you must also have the internet and means of contact .

Media

The means or tools that can be used in synchronous communication are the following:

• Chat : this is one of the most used means and it gives many people the possibility to communicate in real time through the use of text messages.
• Video conference : makes it possible for conversations to take place through audio and video which are located in different geographical areas.
• Instant messaging : in this case, the interlocutors have the possibility to exchange information in the form of text, audio, video and documents. It happens in real time.

objective

The main objective of this communication is to be able to make a proper process of exchange of information in real time using the Internet signal which enables two or more individuals can communicate properly.

Process

In order to carry out an adequate synchronous communication process, it will be necessary to have an internet service . Ideally, the group that must be in contact choose a means to establish communication in time. It should set an hour determined to start communication and during the process, you must also avoid any kind of disruption which could damage communication.

Advantage

Among the main advantages of this type of communication, the following are mentioned:

• It can occur anywhere which makes it possible for communication to occur in all people.
• It makes it possible to exchange information directly and in real time.
• In most of the time, records of the interaction with another person can end up being preserved.
• It is one of the best means to be able to collect and later process the information that is received.
• It is an effective means to safeguard information , materials, texts, photos and documents among others.

Disadvantages

Synchronous communication also has some disadvantages among which are mentioned:

• When working with very large groups, it may not be possible to maintain adequate control over all the interactions that may occur between the participants.
• Failure to establish clear rules can create a degree of confusion among those involved.
• When there are many people, saturation can occur in all the equipment that is being used.
• Because technology is always advancing and innovating, it may not be very easy to keep up to date .
• This type of communication can, in some cases, produce dependency .
• There is no type of physical expression because the interaction does not take place in a personal way .

How it differs from asynchronous communication

The main difference between these two types of communication is that the async is awaiting a response while synchronously needs both parties to establish the communication process can interact and work so simultaneously and in real time. This simultaneity is the key to distinguish the difference between them. Another difference is that synchronous communication is temporally dependent because it requires that the people communicating the message coincide, a situation that does not occur in asynchronous communication.

In addition, the synchronous has data that can be transferred in the form of frames while in the case of the asynchronous, the data can be sent one byte at a time. The speed with which the information is transferred also has its differences since it tends to be much slower in asynchronous communication . Finally, synchronous communication is much more efficient , effective and also has less overhead .

Importance

Synchronous communication is important because it is one of the main means or mechanisms through which the exchange of information in real time is made possible through the internet or different types of technological platforms . It is a means of communication that is applied daily to the daily life of individuals and thanks to it, it is possible to establish contacts with other people for educational , personal or commercial purposes .

Examples of synchronous communication

Some examples of synchronous communication are as follows:

• Different types of chat that are used in the workplace to be able to disseminate guidelines, standards or communications among workers.
• In the field of education it can be used when you need to make use of distance education.
• Chats, video calls, phone calls.