What’s the Difference between IT and Digital?
( Section 1: Chapter 2 from my book : Digital Lipstick on a Legacy Pig ! )
There is one question that is often asked - what is digital, and how is it
different from IT?
IT—or the term “information technology” in its modern sense—first
appeared in a 1958 article published in the Harvard Business Review. Authors
Harold J. Leavitt and Thomas L. Whisler commented that “the new technology
does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information
technology (IT).” The definition consisted of three categories: techniques for
processing; the application of statistical and mathematical methods to decision
making; and the simulation of higher-order thinking through computer
programs.
Wikipedia defines information technology (IT) as the application of
computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit, and
manipulate data, often in the context of a business. In a simplified sense, IT is all
about the infrastructure that converts data to actionable information. Business
leaders have long used IT to improve productivity, drive efficiency, and lower
costs.
Because IT was involved in the delivery of management information and
efficiencies, it quickly became the backbone of all corporate functions. And
eventually, a new corporate function was born with its own C-level leader, the
CTO/CIO.
IT became a critical business function. In this context, it’s easy to
understand why IT seeks perfection. It is deliberately thoughtful, thorough, and,
as a result, slow to move. To preserve business momentum and avoid any
downtime, IT infrastructure has to be robust and built to last.
Very often IT and digital are confused. This confusion is due to similar
physical appearances. But deep inside, they differ widely in their philosophy.
I define “digital” as an always-on agile approach that is built on IT to
deliver a direct and symbiotic relationship between the customer and the
a company using the Internet as the core channel.
The guiding principle for digital is not based on the perfection that IT
seeks. A state of perfection assumes an ideal end state achieved by specified end
date, followed by acts of maintenance to preserve the state of perfection. This
mindset assumes that customer behavior evolves slowly and linearly and is
sufficiently managed by upgrades and fixes.
However, while digital also embraces the philosophy of perfection, it
defines it differently. Because digital is an approach, it seeks perfection through a
series of progressive, agile acts that continuously seek harmony with the
customer. Clearly, digital seeks external harmony, whereas IT seeks internal
harmony.
( Section 1: Chapter 2 from my book : Digital Lipstick on a Legacy Pig ! )
There is one question that is often asked - what is digital, and how is it
different from IT?
IT—or the term “information technology” in its modern sense—first
appeared in a 1958 article published in the Harvard Business Review. Authors
Harold J. Leavitt and Thomas L. Whisler commented that “the new technology
does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information
technology (IT).” The definition consisted of three categories: techniques for
processing; the application of statistical and mathematical methods to decision
making; and the simulation of higher-order thinking through computer
programs.
Wikipedia defines information technology (IT) as the application of
computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit, and
manipulate data, often in the context of a business. In a simplified sense, IT is all
about the infrastructure that converts data to actionable information. Business
leaders have long used IT to improve productivity, drive efficiency, and lower
costs.
Because IT was involved in the delivery of management information and
efficiencies, it quickly became the backbone of all corporate functions. And
eventually, a new corporate function was born with its own C-level leader, the
CTO/CIO.
IT became a critical business function. In this context, it’s easy to
understand why IT seeks perfection. It is deliberately thoughtful, thorough, and,
as a result, slow to move. To preserve business momentum and avoid any
downtime, IT infrastructure has to be robust and built to last.
Very often IT and digital are confused. This confusion is due to similar
physical appearances. But deep inside, they differ widely in their philosophy.
I define “digital” as an always-on agile approach that is built on IT to
deliver a direct and symbiotic relationship between the customer and the
a company using the Internet as the core channel.
The guiding principle for digital is not based on the perfection that IT
seeks. A state of perfection assumes an ideal end state achieved by specified end
date, followed by acts of maintenance to preserve the state of perfection. This
mindset assumes that customer behavior evolves slowly and linearly and is
sufficiently managed by upgrades and fixes.
However, while digital also embraces the philosophy of perfection, it
defines it differently. Because digital is an approach, it seeks perfection through a
series of progressive, agile acts that continuously seek harmony with the
customer. Clearly, digital seeks external harmony, whereas IT seeks internal
harmony.
