The business world remained pretty much the same for a century or so after the Industrial Revolution, but it’s safe to say that will never happen again.
The exponential rate at which technology is developing, changing, and adapting is so fast that you can’t help but be swept away by a wave of progress—whether you’re ready for it or not. In this context, information technology (IT) has changed all aspects of the way companies operate, and never before in history has this change occurred so quickly.
But what exactly is IT and What is her role in companies? Check out everything on the subject in this guide!
What is information technology?
Information technology focuses on the use of computers, networks and digital technologies to process, store and protect electronic information.
Information technology professionals support individual hardware, software and devices. While most people’s interactions with IT involve computer problems, the job goes far beyond that.
There are generally three main responsibilities that IT professionals can be held accountable for:
- Governance: the policies and procedures that ensure that monitored systems are operating effectively and in line with business objectives;
- operations: the daily work that an IT department handles, from technical support to network maintenance and everything in between;
- infrastructure: the configuration and maintenance of physical hardware that make up a company’s IT infrastructure, such as routers, servers, computers and telephone systems.
What is information technology for?
Practically all businesses depend on information technology services to survive, but few people really understand the complexities field data. In fact, IT experts wear a lot of hats, far more than they are often credited with.
While the role varies from company to company and industry to industry, there are generally 6 critical business roles to which IT is absolutely critical.
Support
Support is an umbrella term for a huge range of services. Its specialists will perform routine maintenance and upgrades as needed, as well as help people with any problems they are having with their technology and technology systems, from computers to phone lines.
This may involve fixing corrupt or buggy software, educate users on how to properly access and use your systems and tools, implement company or department-wide reviews, and more.
In larger organizations, IT often has its own technical support that handles queries and complaints from individual users and deploys personnel as needed. A help desk also allows the IT department to prioritize different issues that arise and resolve them in order of importance.
In this role, IT is truly a means of support, as it is not just about helping its customers, but also plays a role behind the scenes. Of course, that doesn’t make them any less important. They are truly critical to an organization’s operations.
Data Management and Governance
Today’s companies generate an enormous amount of data. This information can be extremely useful for businesses to improve and advance their strategies and goals, but it needs to be in an understandable and comprehensive format. A rapidly growing role for IT is data management and governance.
IT teams develop plans to store data through databases and other repositories. They also create ways for these repositories to classify and perform analysis on the data, offering meaningful insights — understandable and actionable for laypersons. In addition, IT plays a vital role in helping employees access the data they need, as needed.
Another way that IT plays an integral role in data management is by protecting data. data from falling into the wrong hands, which can be disastrous for any organization.
Infrastructure
Above all, perhaps, IT is about building and maintaining a company’s infrastructure. Together with management and critical business departments, IT plays a key role in ensuring that the organization operates successfully.
IT establishes the technological foundation of a business, selecting and implementing its structure. Various components include hardware—computers, phone systems, network devices, printers, and circuitry, to name a few—and software encompasses the vital programs that people use regularly.
The IT department also assesses the a company’s needs and makes recommendations, as needed, for various programs and equipment for management to purchase in order to keep the organization running smoothly. Sometimes they may suggest updates to make the business more successful and efficient.
The budget is also an integral part of the process. An IT manager or director will work with company management to develop a budget plan that meets critical needs cost-effectively.
