From the course: Understanding Business
Information technology basics
- The information technology group, the IT team is the central nervous system of the organization. In humans, the central nervous system is made up of the brain, the spinal cord and the nerves. The brain collects, stores and processes information. Nerves help us both feel the world us around us and they also deliver messages from the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal cord is the primary infrastructure that helps the brain and nerve endings communicate. This is very similar to the role of the business IT team. Just like the human brain, IT creates technology systems that helps the organization collect and store data. This might be sales data, purchasing and payment data and even employee performance data. IT might also assist in processing the data, helping us figure out what the data means. In addition, IT is tasked with keeping that data secure. While our brains make decisions, our brains cannot carry out those decisions. The brain must send messages to the body via our nerves. Like the nerves in our body, IT is responsible for developing systems that help the organization communicate safety with customers and business partners as well as systems that securely allow employees in the company to share data and communicate. Also like nerves assist in telling our body how to move so we can accomplish everyday tasks, the IT team sets up systems that help the organization execute business tasks like manufacturing, inventory tracking and sales transactions. Our brains communicate with every part of our bodies via the nerves, moving our hands and feet, monitoring our breathing, our brains and nerves play a role in nearly everything we do. The connection between the brain and the nerves is the spinal cord. Large organizations have so many different technology tools such as financial software, logistics management systems, customer relationship management and HR systems. Much like the human spinal cord, IT is responsible for developing this vital technological infrastructure. In your job, on your projects, you'll want to collect data, process data, communicate with others and you'll want to do things better and faster. As you approach the IT team for assistance, remember the complex central nervous system they control and consider how you can utilize the infrastructure they have developed to help you accomplish your goals and also to help improve the organization's overall performance.
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