I find this pretty interesting. I'm not sure I agree with the point about the phone, though. For me, a phone call is in the chain of escalation, and not an ef

I find this pretty interesting. I'm not sure I agree with the point about the phone, though. For me, a phone call is in the chain of escalation, and not an effective communication tool at the lowest level. Consider: it is the most demanding form of communication, allows for little or no transfer of data, hampers our ability to communicate abstractions, and doesn't scale at all. If audio communication is important, then prefer video calling. Still, I find written communication to be the most cost-effective form of communication. It allows for a wide range of expression, can be performed asynchronously, and can be archived and searched for later reference. Phone calls cannot. I even once had a boss for whom I responded in writing when he called with questions or instructions because he wasn't an honest broker, and it was vital to pin him down in writing in every detail. My preference goes something like this: chat (IM, something custom, whatever), video call (hangout, skype, etc.), email, text, phone call, in-person. Of course the order may vary depending on circumstances - obviously you don't have casual conversation via SMS when out to lunch with someone, or if you work in the same room - but this is generally how I view the value of communications. Phone calls are productivity killers.