1. Why Information Technology is Important
by Gerardo Dominguez (Chicago State University)
Information technology is important for many reasons because IT itself has myriad
applications. On one hand, IT can be defined as computer hardware and/ or software used to
manage information. Information technology is used for storing, processing, securing, sending
and receiving information. For example, Information systems are the lifeblood of any business.
I mean to say that any business, in any industry, requires properly managed/ processed
information to succeed. More often than not, a business will have at least one type of
information system in place to process their input (data) into useable and relevant output
(information). An information system helps managers, and workers, to inquire about a particular
problem, conceive its complexity and generate new products and services; improving their
productivity and output in the process.
On the other hand, Information technology can be defined as a combination of computer
and communication technology. IT not only facilitates information management, it also
facilitates communication between people anywhere in the world. During our own lifetime we
have seen not only the widespread adoption of cell phones but also their integration with other
facets of IT. For example, there are now “smart phones” which allow users to access many
different types of applications and access the internet; among other things. IT allows people to
communicate via cell phone without speaking (texting/ SMS) or without the use of one’s hands
(Bluetooth). With these smart phones you can also use your phone like a portable camcorder,
camera and/ or television.
The computer itself is one of the most important, and obvious, aspects of Information
Technology. Most careers in IT revolve around the use of computers, whether it is database
administration, graphic design, etc. In today’s world computers are used for everything from
writing a paper in the hopes of getting a much needed scholarship to creating a webpage for
someone’s new company. Additionally, many business functions have been digitized and made
available online; to the point that doing certain tasks without the use of a computer is becoming
more and more outdated. It’s gotten to the point where one would be hard pressed to find
something that cannot be done online. As such, our society has become highly dependant on the
Internet which makes us even more dependent on computers. In fact, it was the advent of the
personal computer, the increasingly more efficient internet connection speeds and the adaptation
of the global community to both of these aspects that created a perfect storm which has allowed
Information Technology to thrive over the years.
When the printing press was invented all those years ago, it changed the world because it
allowed someone to spread their ideas, their information, all over the world. The printing press
was one of several inventions that made the world a much smaller place. Information
Technology is important for many reasons, but the most important one would have to be the fact
that it is making the world a much smaller place; everyday.