Universidad del Valle

Sede Pacìfico – English 1

Date: December 11th 2020

What is the difference between information systems and information

technology?

Information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) are burgeoning industries
that offer job opportunities that have long-term professional growth potential. The
fields are related in more ways than that, however. In fact, the terms information
technology and information systems are sometimes used interchangeably, but that is a
misnomer. There are similarities and differences in the two fields.

Information Technology

IT is a wide-ranging term that describes the technological transfer, storage and

accessibility of information. Thus, IT falls under the IS umbrella — it deals with the
technological components that are used in the information systems themselves. By
definition, IT is the study, design, implementation, support or management of
computer-based information systems.

Speaking of components, IT encompasses hardware, software, databases and networks.

The emphasis of IT is to manage technology and help users make the most of its
functionality. Careers in IT typically require a degree in computer science or
information science; those who graduate can find employment in cybersecurity,
database or network administration, infrastructure management, business intelligence,
computer programming or software development.

Information Systems

An information system is a type of platform or collection of platforms that exist to

manage a set of information or a technology product. For instance, the hardware and
software used to create, maintain and access an electronic health record is an
information system. The computers, hard drives and other electronic devices used to
store, keep and distribute patient records are part of the system. These electronic
devices on their own may be referred to as an information technology system, even
though they’re part of a particular information system.

IS can also be described as an overarching umbrella term for the systems, people and
processes that businesses use to create, store, manipulate and distribute information.
IS is the bridge between technology and the user.
When it comes to available careers in the field of information systems, the
opportunities are plentiful. Actuarial sciences, analytics and programming,
communications, computer security and auditing are a few common fields.

IT is a subset of IS. The fields are certainly related, but those interested in a career in
technology should research and understand the difference in the two fields. Careers in
each area require separate degrees and preparation. While both deal with computers
the majority of the time, they have very distinct paths that demand separate education

“Information Technology” is still commonly used by corporations, while Information

Systems” seems to be the preferred verbiage in academia. If I had to discern
between them, I’d probably say that “information technology” is more about the
actual technology - the hardware, software, networking - while “information
systems” is more encompassing of process as well.

That’s probably a bit pedantic, but considering how relatively interchangeable they
are in real life, that’s the only differentiation I could see between using one over the
other —

Setting the long history lesson in its proper place, regardless the roots of
computing science, in this era, it is rarely a suitable starting point for an IT or IS
professional.

Information Technology is all the computerized technologies that are designed for
and used for business communication, data storage, transport and manipultion and
the electronic execution of business processes. This includes security and the
peripheral hardware/software (including virtualized) systems that range from
firewalls, routers, switches, servers, peraonal computers, smartphones, tablets,
surveillance cameras...

In a way, you can say one is a subset of the other. IT is a broad term defining any
and all things pertaining to the transfer, storage, and availability of information by
utilizing technologies. An IS on the other hand is a (collection of)
platform(s)/solution(s) designed to manage a particular information  product.

An example of an IS would be all the hardware and software used in an electronic

health record (EHR) system. All devices connected to each other that are dedicated
to storing, maintaining, and disseminating patient records can be considered part
of an IS.

Information systems is an umbrella term for the systems, people and processes
designed to create, store, manipulate, distribute and disseminate information. The
field of information systems bridges business and computer science. One of the
reasons people may not distinguish between IS and IT is that they assume all
information systems are computer-based systems. An information system, however,
can be as simple as a pencil and a piece of paper. Separate, the objects are just
tools. Used together, they create a system for recording information. Although
information systems are heavily reliant...

In common usage, Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) are
quite different. IT most commonly means all the company internal computers,
infrastructure, programs, configuration, and processes. The computers used by
employees and the process of keeping them working and up-to-date are all
managed by the IT department. Because of that, IT Training is very practical
education on configuring existing software and hardware to work together. On the
other hand, IS is also a very pragmatic discipline but more concerned with
application development in that same space.

When I attended college my final couple of years for my upper graduate classes
after having attended Community College or Junior College until I had way too
many credits so that only 60 of them would transfer to a major university just
because I was enjoying my life working paying bills living partying and doing well
in life while making Straight A's because junior college and Community College
and even regular college is that easy for your core requirements but Community
College in junior college in particular is no different than High School. in fact it may
even be easier.

In information systems you deal with how data needs to be managed and
processed to result in useful information for a given purpose. This can be aid by
computers or completely manual. You look at how processes work, people
involved, information flows and you optimize all that. Information systems can be
applied to all fields because everyone deals with information.. You can help
optimize a factory to reduce scrap and waste or you can help optimize a business
to become less burocratic by nadoptunh technology and reduce paperwork, you
can help reduce amazon reduce cost by optimizing inventory...

Information systems (IS) is concerned with the information that computer systems can
provide to aid a company, non-profit or governmental organization in defining and
achieving its goals
 the term “information technology” is often used to refer to all of computing,
Information Technology : falls under the information system's umbrella, but has
nothing to do with systems per say. IT deals with the technology involved in the
systems themselves

Let me first mention about computer science (CS) since both information systems (IS)
and information technology (IT) come from that field as forms of applied computing.
While both fields are mostly industry-oriented in nature with graduates trained
towards becoming practitioners and tech professionals, CS can also do this to an
extent in as much as it can do other aspects of the field (research and academe), also
to an extent.