Information Technology

From MissionTechWiki

Definitions

Information Technology (IT)

When we talk about Information Technology we generally mean all the Technology systems used to manage information. This includes hardware, software, operating systems, networking etc.

IT ... is based on the microelectronics-based convergence of data processing, telecommunications and automation together with the advances made in software, including electronic spreadsheets, fourth-generation languages and the development of knowledge-based systems and artificial intelligence (Michael Earl, 1989, Management Strategies for Information Technology, Prentice Hall, p.1)

Information Systems (IS)

We distinguish Information Systems from IT, in that Information Systems may or may not be electronic and computerized. Information Systems includes Information Technology as a means of managing some IS.

Discussion

Information Technology tends to be associated more with the technology end of IS. This means it is concerned with the management or development of infrastructure. Information Systems has a higher level view. It is interested in the systems that manage information.

However - in practice, and in industry, the two terms are effectively interchangeable. On this site we are interested in how technology can be used to help manage Information Systems used by missions.

Some folk, especially developers, don't view themselves as being part of IT. Software developers develop systems that will be managed as part of IT, and are generally more concerned with the support of the product, as opposed to supporting the end user.

Original page: http://www.missiontech.info/wiki/Information_Technology
from the MissionTech Wiki created by the International Conference on Computers and Missions