Understanding technology is more than just using a smartphone to make a call, take photos or scroll through Facebook and Tik Tok. Certainly, you don’t need to be a genius to use technology to solve problems. But there are some key concepts that would be helpful to understand.
Data
Data refers to any facts or figures that are meaningless without interpretation, organisation or presentation. So, random prices ($20, $60 & $220) or names (Dolly, Anil and Peter) are considered data, for example.
Information
Now, when data has been processed, it becomes information. So the same prices- $20, $60 & $220- when used to explain that larger items carry a higher price, would be considered information. Similarly, saying that three people- Dolly, Anil and Peter- won a competition would be considered information.
Hardware
Hardware, or computer hardware, is any physical equipment used to collect and process data; it also includes equipment that outputs data. So laptops, phones, speakers and screens are all examples of hardware.
Software
Software, on the other hand, can be thought of as computer programmes used by various hardware. Microsoft word or excel on a laptop, apps on a phone
So how do these help solve both business and social problems?
When you understand these concepts, and how to use them, believe it or not- you can solve problems! Businesses, for example, can understand what products customers like more by gathering data on what products sell and what products don’t sell. There are software solutions that can help business owners record that data from customers, and then process it so that customers' likes and dislikes can be understood.
[Add more information/ thoughts from an expert or compile thoughts from Keen Media team- “What the experts think” in quote bubbles or alike]
Of course, there are specialised software solutions that use data in helpful ways. Read more about these here: (leads to link on CRM, ERP, SAS, etc)
Sources:
Cambridge International AS & A Level Information technology support guide
Management Information Systems by Ken Laudon and Jane Laudon
There is obviously so much more to talk about- and this platform will continue to be a space to facilitate that discourse- but we’ll end here for now. If you have thoughts to share, comments to make or any questions for our team of tech experts, feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.