The Difference IT Makes

The Difference IT Makes

Being a business student and hearing about how efficient and cost-effective technology is for businesses and organizations, I’m like... MUST have the SECRET FORMULA (*IT Knowledge)!

 http://karen-plankton.tumblr.com/

I feel like IT is similar to a second language. The second language doesn't replace your native language but instead it drastically increases your opportunities. Thus, being well-versed in IT just enhances and builds your skills and abilities making you a better asset to the company or improves your employment prospects.

Now the desire to learn is there...so how does technology specifically save on costs and improve systems?

http://is.unl.edu/pma/about-it-cost-reducing-task-force

Here is an example of how informational technology benefits its users. In the linked article below, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) discusses specifically how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) save time, money and lives.

http://epic.org/events/UAS-Uses-Saving-Time-Saving-Money-Saving-Lives.pdf

According to this article, unmanned aircraft systems enhance public safety, aid in the recovery of disasters, protect the environment, enable scientific research, and boost agricultural production. AUVSI gives the example of how fire departments use UAS to detect hot spots and provide awareness of the situation. By obtaining this information more quickly, fire fighters can work and deal with fire faster and more efficiently with a clearer view of the whole situation. In 2012, 33% of firefighter deaths by nature of injury occurred on fire ground. (Source: http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/Files/Research/ NFPA%20reports/Fire%20service%20statistics/osfff.pdf). Imagine how UAS can reduce the death rate of our responders! Not only is it less risky, it is also cheaper to use unmanned aircraft system with direct operational cost of $3.36 per hour than to use a manned aircraft at a cost of $250-600 per hour. Wow!

UAS are also practical in other hazardous situations like nuclear power plant leaks and volcano eruptions. UAS can detect stranded people faster than emergency responders and can also capture data for research, rescue, and planning purposes.  These systems can help us reduce the risk of losing our talented people and expensive equipment when conducting research and working in these dangerous environments.

Overall, UAS prevent calamities by providing us with more accurate data to make predictions and preparations and help us recuperate more quickly from misfortunes.

After reading about UAS, doesn’t it make you think of all the different ways you can improve systems with IT? It makes me imagine scenarios like how IT or Information Systems can benefit a growing business with traditional filing system, a large corporation with potential cost reductions, or an organization that follows trends and needs real-time information. It’s amazing how much technology can provide...saves on time and money, improves business processes, boosts economy, and the list continues!