Properly Defining Information Technology

Information Technology

Not what you expected, or was it...

The definition of Information Technology has become corrupted over time as people have had different ideas on what it means.  If you looked up information Technology, you would think the definition would be something like,
"The management and distribution of information through the use of technology.",
after all that sounds right...


If you go to Wikipedia, Information Technology is defined as,
"Information technology (IT) is the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, often in the context of a business or other enterprise.
The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones. Several industries are associated with information technology, including computer hardware, software, electronics, semiconductors, internet, telecom equipment, e-commerce and computer services."


 This seems like a  good definition, though it seems a bit much for the management of information.  If we go to other sources for the definition, you will begin to realize how different the definitions have become.  merriam-webster.com defines Information Technology as,
"the technology involving the development, maintenance, and use of computer systems, software, and networks for the processing and distribution of data"


Now you may say that is not a lot different from Wikipedia or my original simplified definition, but lets exam it again.  If I were to say Library Sciences are a part of information technology (which in reality parts of it are) does it fit into these definitions?  If we look at my simplified definition, we can say "Yes", after all Library Sciences is about the organization of information and that organization in itself is an applied technology.


Now look at the other definitions, how did we move from technology to computer systems specifically? Simple, we applied the way it is done today... Is that correct? absolutely not.  The Typewriter was information technology, yet the definitions could never apply to it. Microfiche is another technology left out of the modern definition and there are many, many, many more.


Now can anyone tell me when the modern computer era began?  you could say 1983 (First PC) or you might say 1977 (Apple II) or even older with the kit computers.  Now let me ask you how old is the oldest Information Technology company? In that case you might say 135 years (IBM established in 1880) or you might say 138 years (Bell Telephone established in 1877), heck you might even say 3700+ years (first postal system) and in truth, you could even argue that.  Remember using technology to manage and distribute, well writing is technology, horse back riding is technology, heck shoes are technology, I still remember "sneaker net", running disks from one computer to another.


So how can we fix it?  Simple, remove any reference to the way we currently perform information technology, the term may have came with the computer revolution, but the definition doesn't need to be that narrow.


Follow me on twitter @DavidRMcMillan or @DevFactoPortals, my goal is to make information technology better, one person at a time.  This post was intended to support another post on Information Governance so stay tuned.