Exploring Informal and Formal Dimensions of Computer-Mediated Communication: Towards An Enhanced Model for Research and Practice

It has been recognized for many years that informal communication is an important part of effective work and thus vitally important in organizations. However, research on informal dimensions of information systems is rare. In this paper, Fish et al.’s (1990) model that distinguishes characteristics of informal and formal dimensions of computer-mediated communication (CMC) is further developed. The enhanced model is exemplified and tested by analysing three applications of CMC, in which different media are used for different purposes. The applications illustrated that a medium may be more or less useful for supporting informal or formal communication. However, the most important influence on the degree of formality was the task and how the medium was used, rather than the medium itself. It is argued that, even though the model proposed here needs to be further developed, it can be useful as support for researching, choosing and designing CMC of varying degrees of