Here’s a quick validation exercise – does the form follow the function of your communications?

If you’re working on fostering collaboration and teamwork, are the communications techniques you’re using matched to that outcome? For example, wikis are inherently highly collaborative tools which by nature contribute to bringing ideas together in an engaging dynamic forum. In contrast, if the objective is collaboration and the prescribed communications activity is a traditional uni-directional briefing of an executive talking to employees, the structure of the exchange is mis-aligned and as such is working at cross purpose with the desired end state.

When doing a communications audit, or just brainstorming about new communications tactics, try asking the question:

Does the form follow our function?