WGU D322|IT 101: INTRO TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY - KEY CONCEPTS & OBJECTIVES
,Introduction to IT
Section 1
Learning Objectives
• Define information technology (IT)?
• Information Technology (IT) is the technology used to create, maintain, and
make information accessible using systems for information storage, retrieval, and
exchange. It focuses on the technologies needed to develop, maintain, and use
computer systems, software, and networks supporting the storage, processing,
and distribution of information.
▪ Three components involved: (1) hardware (2) software (3) people
• Information technology is a critical function for an organization, its supports
diverse types of business functions, from production to human resources, and
management.
• Explain the purpose of an IT department in an organization
Systems – collection of elements that interact to achieve a common goal.
• Includes hardware
• Software
• Networking elements – maintained by IT professionals
• People
• Every component can be seen as a system
Section 2 Goals
Learning Objectives
• Define information system.
• Explain the purpose of an IT department in an organization.
User Support – IT professions provide support to employees to complete their tasks,
providing access to organizational resources, have new hardware systems installed, or
print a document that’s not being printed by the printer. IT analyzes the needs and
issues, identifies and implements solutions, so users can remain production with
minimal technical interruption.
,Data and Information Management – focuses on efficient storage and dissemination
or organization data and information to support its effective use. IT professionals – build
systems to enable storage, retrieval, analysis, and use of organization data and
information, watches disaster recovery and business continuity to mitigate high costs of
losing data.
• Describe user needs and other information systems
requirements, including security and accessibility functions.
Having the right software needed to complete tasks,
calculations, manipulate files – having software to perform
those tasks. Identifying and implementing systems to help
organizations perform those tasks (competitive advantage).
Security – identifying threats and preventative incidents that
compromise the organizations data or potentially disrupt the
business.
• Describe characteristics of valuable data.
• Explain the importance of ensuring that data and information systems
support business goals and processes.
• Explain the purpose of an IT department in an organization.
• Identify opportunities for buying vs. building a solution in-house, as
well as insourcing vs. outsourcing.
Internet – open source information, ex.. blogs, social media, news etc…
Intranet – resources available to only users or systems within a organization, ex.,
proprietary information, sensitive information, etc
Extranet – makes resources available within an organization; but, also have the ability
to make that information available to other organizations or users, such as 3rd party
Business Intelligence – data the business gathers, organizes, and analyzes. Used to
determine customers needs and wants, trends, decision making, examines
performance, issues, forecasting future performance, predict sales, volumes, and
insight into new markets.
Project Management – includes maintenance of organization’s IT infrastructure,
projects, functionality, and implements improvements or technology changes with
, organizational structure. Ensure projects are managed, maintain scope, and optimize
use of resources.
Computing – any activity that uses a computer to manage, process, or share
information.
o Task – designing and creating hardware and software
o Establishing networks
o Managing information
o Building chatbots to imitate human like behavior
The five IT disciplines:
(1) Computer Engineering – focuses on design of hardware systems and software
that makes them work.
The Computer Engineering Problem Space - The graph that follows outlines computer
system issues addressed by various computer engineering disciplines. The horizontal axis
ranges from theory, principles, and innovation on the left to application, deployment, and
configuration on the right. The vertical axis represents hardware and architecture on the bottom,
and organizational issues, needs, and systems at the top.
TECHNOLOGY - KEY CONCEPTS & OBJECTIVES
,Introduction to IT
Section 1
Learning Objectives
• Define information technology (IT)?
• Information Technology (IT) is the technology used to create, maintain, and
make information accessible using systems for information storage, retrieval, and
exchange. It focuses on the technologies needed to develop, maintain, and use
computer systems, software, and networks supporting the storage, processing,
and distribution of information.
▪ Three components involved: (1) hardware (2) software (3) people
• Information technology is a critical function for an organization, its supports
diverse types of business functions, from production to human resources, and
management.
• Explain the purpose of an IT department in an organization
Systems – collection of elements that interact to achieve a common goal.
• Includes hardware
• Software
• Networking elements – maintained by IT professionals
• People
• Every component can be seen as a system
Section 2 Goals
Learning Objectives
• Define information system.
• Explain the purpose of an IT department in an organization.
User Support – IT professions provide support to employees to complete their tasks,
providing access to organizational resources, have new hardware systems installed, or
print a document that’s not being printed by the printer. IT analyzes the needs and
issues, identifies and implements solutions, so users can remain production with
minimal technical interruption.
,Data and Information Management – focuses on efficient storage and dissemination
or organization data and information to support its effective use. IT professionals – build
systems to enable storage, retrieval, analysis, and use of organization data and
information, watches disaster recovery and business continuity to mitigate high costs of
losing data.
• Describe user needs and other information systems
requirements, including security and accessibility functions.
Having the right software needed to complete tasks,
calculations, manipulate files – having software to perform
those tasks. Identifying and implementing systems to help
organizations perform those tasks (competitive advantage).
Security – identifying threats and preventative incidents that
compromise the organizations data or potentially disrupt the
business.
• Describe characteristics of valuable data.
• Explain the importance of ensuring that data and information systems
support business goals and processes.
• Explain the purpose of an IT department in an organization.
• Identify opportunities for buying vs. building a solution in-house, as
well as insourcing vs. outsourcing.
Internet – open source information, ex.. blogs, social media, news etc…
Intranet – resources available to only users or systems within a organization, ex.,
proprietary information, sensitive information, etc
Extranet – makes resources available within an organization; but, also have the ability
to make that information available to other organizations or users, such as 3rd party
Business Intelligence – data the business gathers, organizes, and analyzes. Used to
determine customers needs and wants, trends, decision making, examines
performance, issues, forecasting future performance, predict sales, volumes, and
insight into new markets.
Project Management – includes maintenance of organization’s IT infrastructure,
projects, functionality, and implements improvements or technology changes with
, organizational structure. Ensure projects are managed, maintain scope, and optimize
use of resources.
Computing – any activity that uses a computer to manage, process, or share
information.
o Task – designing and creating hardware and software
o Establishing networks
o Managing information
o Building chatbots to imitate human like behavior
The five IT disciplines:
(1) Computer Engineering – focuses on design of hardware systems and software
that makes them work.
The Computer Engineering Problem Space - The graph that follows outlines computer
system issues addressed by various computer engineering disciplines. The horizontal axis
ranges from theory, principles, and innovation on the left to application, deployment, and
configuration on the right. The vertical axis represents hardware and architecture on the bottom,
and organizational issues, needs, and systems at the top.
