Towards a new model of communicative adequacy

Abstract

Abstract Communicative adequacy is at the center of what it means to practice and model specialized communication. Empirical research has revealed that adequacy lies as much in communicative products as in the situation within which these products are used. This entails the idea that whatever an individual does and thinks is helped by artefacts and so-called boundary objects, as well as by the more general setting. Examples include countless phenomena, like the presence of checklists in an office setting, (real and virtual) bookmarks in our reading, or the way we do calculations with pen and paper, which support a learned algorithm for juggling large numbers. For specialized communication, standardized processes, data bases and, more recently, so-called artificial intelligence play a pivotal role. As of now, specialized communication research lacks a systematic account of how all types of environmental aspects can best be leveraged in specialized communication. This is particularly crucial given the rapidly changing technological landscape. Starting with multi-purpose products like software and mobile phones, this will – in the not-so-far future – include AI-powered agents, augmented reality, wearables and much more. The proposed taxonomy systematizes aspects of situatedness with regard to information products.