Information Technology, in general, is a business sector which deals with computing. It is more than just a business sector, but also a field of knowledge and study. IT has been growing fast along with the growth of other businesses and fields of knowledge.

Most corporations have what we now call “IT-Departments” to manage their computer technologies etc. Some of the early activities these departments support are:

• Computer Technology Support
• Network Administration
• Maintenance and Administration of Databases
• Business Software Deployment
• Information Security

These roles have since evolved beyond the field of support. Since the 90s (the dot-com boom/bubble), it now also includes areas such as:

• Software Development
• Project Management
• Computer Systems Architecture

The definition itself has evolved since then.
Recently, it also includes a variety of areas such as Cloud Computing and Data Science.
IT technologies now cover several areas such as software and hardware solutions.

In the context of businesses, they allow organizations to gather, organize, and evaluate data.

Data Analysis is now becoming an essential part of the workflow and planning in organizations of all shapes and sizes. Efficient understanding of data can lead to decisions which can make organizations more effective. It can help them to expand. They can even improve their revenue generation, management, and so on.

Understanding the requirements of IT

As discussed, Information Technology has a wide range of applications. To know how it can be employed in an organization, we can start by breaking apart the overall workings and analyzing them.

Overall, it has requirements such as:

• Communication
• Division of workload
• Management of documents
• Improvement of processes
• Collection, management and analysis of data
• Keeping records of the various activities in an organization etc.

Considering the wide application of IT, we come to this question…

What essential skills and knowledge should one have about Information Technology?

This is an important question, but it also comes with a challenge. Technology changes at a rapid pace. It is evolving at a pace to which biological evolution cannot keep up.

Think of it, where are we now in history? Over half a century has passed since the introduction of electronic computers. Personal Computers are now used all over the world. The Dot Com bubble crash is over two decades old. Beyond just the World Wide Web, we are now moving to the era of the Internet of Things. Almost everybody has a powerful computer capable of connecting to the internet, satellite systems, and making calls etc. in their pockets. (Yes, I am talking about smartphones.)
The coming era is going to be heavily dominated by artificial intelligence as more and more tasks become automated.

So, maybe instead of seeking to have a set answer is the wrong way. A better approach might be to adapt and learn. It may not be possible for a mortal human to attain all the knowledge. But it is surely possible to have an overview of the current technologies.

Challenges and Problems to face

We are collecting data at a very fast pace as more computers are used throughout the world. This has lead to many problems such as data overload, privacy and security concerns, etc.

Another important aspect to consider is the gap in human skills and knowledge despite the existence of such systems. So creating awareness and providing education or training about technologies becomes an important goal for many organizations too.