In human communication research today, two fundamental issues must be addressed. The first issue concerns the need for study of communicative relationships as events that change over time. The second issue involves the nature of the data currently gathered in such research and its adequacy in providing information concerning change. In order for research to reflect the nature of communication events as part of a larger, ongoing process, three criteria must be met: measurement of the variables under study and concurrent measurement of the points at which such variables occur must be made, at least three observation points must be included within the design, and measurement must be continued throughout the interval of concern or over a subinterval if variation is periodic or cyclic. While researchers must explore and adopt techniques to index change over time, they must also fully exploit more familiar techniques, as well as develop new methods. (KS)