Archive for February, 2008

IT–What is it?

John Gyorki
February 19th, 2008.

It took me about two years, but I was finally able to mentally relate the acronym IT with Information Technology instead of just uppercase it. IT appears in all sorts of publications and seldom does the editor tell you that it represents Information Technology; you are supposed to know that. Which brings me to what I really want to say. What exactly is IT or Information Technology? I looked it up on Wikipedia and the definition begged for authenticity. Their definition is quit thin. Yet, I see that some colleges offer it as a degree. So, I read the syllabus for one small college on a degree in IT and discovered that it taught you how to do things that you ordinarily find in no less than about 25 other occupations! For example, when you earn the degree, you will be able to program computers, network, become a help-desk operator, configure (computer) hardware systems, do something with application software, telecommunicate, purchase something, make decisions, and develop interpersonal skills. But I ask you, how many of you have these skills and do these tasks in your normal workday without being called an IT person? Engineers, scientists, designers, salespeople, clerks, artists, nurses, garage mechanics, grade school students, teachers, and homemakers do many of these things. Are they IT personnel, too?

The list goes on. You will see IT people program databases and spreadsheets, process words, communicate data, and learn verbal and written communication skills (doesn’t everyone?). You can also expect them to install, operate, upgrade, and troubleshoot computers; assist purchasing departments, and program computer systems in both networked and non-networked environments. The only thing missing here is taking out the garbage and getting coffee for the boss (which was probably only a minor oversight).

But what is worse than the scope of work is the fact that “they” call it a technology. How can IT possibly be a technology? Electronics is a technology. MEMS is a technology. Fiber optics is a technology. But Information Technology? That’s a stretch. Now, sales and marketing people carelessly toss around the term technology to satisfy their own egos and to make their product or service sound more important or more complex than it really is. For example, I read about a “new vacuum sweeper technology.” I took one apart and found the same stuff that my mother’s 1945 vacuum sweeper contained. The only difference was that the new one was made of plastic, not cast aluminum like the 1945 model. Incidentally, they both sucked.

Bottom line; are you called an IT person? If so, please let us know what you do. I think it will be extremely interesting to find out the truth in this dumbed-down world we live in. By the way, if you have a degree in Project Management, ditto.

jgyorki@designworldonline.com

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