Systems analysis has the advantage for the study of communications relations of incorporating both the interactive relations and the broader context in which the relations occur. Applying this approach to the coorientation model led to the development of a set of transformations of the relations between individuals A and B and object X, from which the effects on accuracy, agreement and congruency could be determined. With a theory of communications relations thus specified, future work in this area should be governed by three priorities: (1) the determination of the nature of message/orientation elements that are to be mapped into each other, (2) the development of the set of transformations for mapping message elements into orientations, and (3) the conduct of field-experimental research to test the theory and determine those aspects which need modification. (Author/RH)