Communication
The process
A sender encodes a message, chooses a medium, and the receiver decodes it; feedback confirms that the intended meaning arrived. Noise - literal or figurative - can distort any stage. Verbal communication suits urgent, simple or discussion-type messages; written communication suits complex, detailed or safety-critical data because it can be checked and retained.
Barriers
Jargon and technical vocabulary, differing language ability, unwarranted assumptions, distraction, fatigue, background noise, poor handwriting, ambiguous phrasing, and rank or hierarchy that discourages questions. Cultural differences in how directly people speak can make a concern sound like a suggestion.
Techniques that work
Standard phraseology, closed-loop communication with readback, structured briefings before a task, clear and legible logbook entries with signature and date, controlled documentation, and a disciplined shift handover covering what was done, what remains, and any open defects. Questions should be specific rather than rhetorical.
Traps
The belief that communication is the sender's responsibility alone - it is shared, and feedback is the proof of success. Also the belief that a message sent is a message understood, or that writing more words makes a message clearer.
Rule of thumb: if a message matters, close the loop - the receiver repeats it back and the sender confirms.