Tutorial, Group 2: Information Technology and Human Needs

Abstract

The purpose of this tutorial is to help you recall and recognize current issues, trends, and problems in Information Technology; to develop a point of departure for further discussion and study, to raise questions and stimulate inquiry. This presentation deals with the transformation and transfer of information and human needs. Is Information Technology now adequate in meeting human needs? Not quite, just yet. On the one hand, more efficient utilization of Information Technology must be realized and on the other, a fuller, deeper understanding of the human component — the User of Information Technology — is needed. (1) The price is still too high for most individual, institutional and corporate users. (2) The trend to networking and resource-sharing must accelerate. (3) The results are not that good. There is still too much irrelevancy and too long a time lag. (4) The interactive mode is frustrating. Present day query languages restrict the user. (5) On-line, real time often means off-line and/or down-time. BUT costs are declining on hardware and designs are getting better. Management Information Systems are integrating decisions at the operating levels of many manufacturing divisions of companies.