The Importance of Understanding Information Technologies
An understanding of information technologies is crucial to professional and personal success. Information technology is a broad area that includes hardware, software, and networks. The applications of this field are numerous and deeply interwoven into our lives. Information technology can increase productivity, decision-making and creativity.
People use information technologies to keep in contact with family members via e-mail manage their money and investments using online spreadsheet and banking software, monitor medical issues using the World Wide Web, pursue hobbies like genealogy or other with special software applications or locate jobs via online job advertisements. People also utilize IT to find information about the candidates for political office and public policy issues and communicate with their representatives in the government and elected officials.
Information technology has revolutionized the way companies operate and how fast they process data. Businesses can now collect data faster, convert it into useful information, and then make this information accessible to staff, decision makers and other stakeholders as required.
IT automation automates manual processes, making it less necessary for humans to be involved. Consistent and accurate information is required to make tactical and strategic business decisions. For example the system used by IT to stores invoices must contain accurate billing addresses in order to create monthly bills and provide customers with correct information when they call customer service.