What Is Computer Information Technology?
The term “information technology” is used often and sounds broad, but what does it actually mean and why is it important?
Computer information technology, or IT, is a relatively new professional field that emerged in the 1990s when computers became the basic tools used for work and everyday life. The rise in computer use introduced the need for professionals that could develop and maintain the new technological infrastructure. “Computer information technology” is often used to refer to technical support, but it’s become much more than that.
While IT deals with the development, maintenance, and use of computer systems and networks, it encompasses a wide variety of tech-based disciplines that handle information and data. Security and communication are important elements of the technology industry, especially as systems become more public and technology continues to evolve.
Why Is Information Technology Important?
Technology impacts nearly every aspect of daily life, including how people communicate, learn, socialize, work, bank, and more. IT professionals ensure that this technology—including its underlying networks and software—operates effectively.
Thanks to IT professionals, organizations and individuals enjoy better connections through faster, more accessible communication and increased productivity through easier access to information. From finance to farming, nearly every industry relies on information technology, and this dependence is only going to become stronger.
What Areas Does Information Technology Include?
IT comprises many career paths and disciplines, but the following are the five main professional areas of IT:
- Administration: handling the daily operations and deployment of software upgrades, security, and data management.
- Support: answering questions and troubleshooting problems.
- Applications: delivering critical third-party business capabilities and services.
- Compliance: securing and monitoring access to business data and applications to ensure they’re used according to business governance policies that meet regulatory requirements.
Cybersecurity: developing and utilizing software that secures computer-based systems and keeps digital assets safe.
Types of Information Technology
Obvious examples of IT include computers, networks, and software. But IT also involves anything related to computing technology and its distribution, including online shopping, streaming movies and shows, and social media platforms.
There are many other examples of IT-enabled innovation, the most notable being artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. AI can simulate certain characteristics of human intelligence. It’s used in problem-solving, speech recognition, planning, learning, and more. It can even provide suggestions based on previous searches, online activities, and purchases.
In the healthcare industry, AI is helping to provide safer and more efficient care for patients everywhere. It’s being used in various treatments for patients as well as surgical operations. It also has a presence in electronic health records to store and learn from data, in scheduling services for doctors and patients, and in the many technological devices that doctors use daily.
In today’s classrooms, teachers and students can utilize AI for educational purposes such as plagiarism checkers, citation finders, research archives, and more.
Machine learning is another example of IT innovation. It’s based around the idea that humans can give machines data and allow them to learn for themselves. Social media platforms utilize machine learning algorithms and intelligence to serve up relevant ads, display content that matches user preferences, and more. Machine learning also helps autonomous technology to work properly—think self-driving cars, for example. Cars can now learn from their surroundings, recognize how traffic signs impact their routes, and observe pedestrians and other vehicles.
Careers in Computer Information Technology
The number of careers in the IT industry is constantly increasing thanks to continuous innovation and the growing demand for able IT experts. Some of the most common careers include the following:
- Web developer. Web developers are the primary architects of the websites and web apps that people around the world use in their everyday lives.
- Information security analyst. These professionals are at the forefront of modern cybersecurity. They help protect digital data and networks from hackers, malware, and other cyber threats.
- Computer support specialist. When users face technical issues or need proper network administration, they turn to computer support specialists for assistance.
- Computer programmer. Programmers write, edit, and debug code for all kinds of computer software. They may be involved in web development, software development, or software engineering.
- Computer research scientist. A computer research scientist finds new ways to implement computing technology through rigorous data analysis and mathematical modeling.
Many IT careers also explore advancements in AI, cybersecurity measures, and automation.
What’s the Difference Between Software and Hardware?
Think of hardware as any part of a computer that’s physical (like a keyboard, hard drive, or monitor). Software includes digital elements such as programs, apps, photo editors, and web browsers. Simply put, software tells hardware what to do and hardware executes those directions. Hardware and software serve very different purposes but rely on each other in order to function.
Software-based jobs in IT are about developing applications or programs and include the following:
- Software engineer
- Software developer
- Computer programmer
- Web developer
- Application developer
Hardware-based IT jobs concern working with computer networks, equipment, and systems and include any of the following:
- Computer operator
- Computer support specialist
- Hardware engineer
- Cloud architect
- Computer network architect
What’s the Difference Between Information Technology and Computer Science?
While the two fields often overlap, there are some key differences to know, especially if you’re interested in pursuing a tech career.
Information technology focuses more heavily on the practical operation of computers, networks, and software systems so that individuals or organizations can do their work efficiently.
Computer science deals with more abstract programming and mathematical algorithms and is often strictly computer based.
IT professionals are more involved with running an organization’s computers, making sure the related networks, systems, and security are operational. Computer scientists, on the other hand, generally work on designing and building computers and their programs. While computer science knowledge isn’t vital for some IT careers, IT experience and education is important for anyone hoping to pursue a computer science career.
Computer Information Technology Skills
As the demand for technology grows, so does the need for skilled IT professionals. If you’re curious about what it takes to work in this growing career field, here are some of the fundamental hard and soft skills you'll need:
- Tech savvy. Although specific technical skills differ by position, every IT job requires some degree of technical proficiency, including a foundational understanding of computers, software, and networks.
- Problem-solving and troubleshooting. IT professionals use these skills when determining why a line of code isn't working as it should or why a network connection has failed. Identifying the source of a problem is critical, as is your ability to assess situations, spot errors, and develop solutions.
- Communication. You’ll need to be able to communicate effectively about IT systems—both verbally and in writing—to audiences with varying technical backgrounds. This skill is especially useful if you’re in a role that supports professionals such as marketers, retailers, and lawyers.
- Information systems management. This skill helps IT experts collaborate with and assist other departments of an organization. It requires a basic understanding of how to manage a company’s network and allocate user permissions that connect employees with the resources they need.
- Data analysis. In nearly every IT job, you’ll need to interpret and analyze complex data to produce actionable reports. This helps inform future business decisions and explains to everyone, from consumers to executives, how well a project performed and what that means for a company.
- Project management. IT professionals must plan, execute, and monitor projects as well as schedule tasks, allocate resources, assess risks, measure performance, and report on results.
Get Your IT Career Started with WGU
An IT degree is a great way to gain valuable skills and can prepare you to be competitive for many exciting and in-demand IT jobs. If you’re someone who likes solving complex problems, designing scalable solutions, and working with the latest technologies, earning an IT degree from WGU may be just what you need. You can also earn one or more third-party industry certifications, the cost of which is included in your tuition.
WGU’s flexible, competency-based learning model lets you advance through coursework as quickly as you show mastery of the material, so you can potentially graduate faster and save money. Learn more today.
