Information, Technology, and People

You have all used a cell phone. But have you ever thought about what goes into the construction and use of a cell phone? Computer architects design the chips, psychologists study the behavior of potential users, cognitive scientists study the human brain and its responses to signals, computer programmers write the software, and business analysts study marketing and sales strategies. Thus, the cell phone is brought to the consumer. But, what happens after people have started using cell phones? Sociologists study the effects of cell phone usage on society, HCI experts study how to improve the design of interfaces, and the cell phone might be redesigned or removed from the market.


This example shows how information (I), technology (T), and people (P) are intricately connected in today’s world. The field of IST is about these connections. IST contributes to fields as diverse as education, health, entertainment, safety, communication, transportation, security, manufacturing, etc.