Information System - Coursework Example

Information System Affiliation Answer to Question I really had an “aha” moment while reading the article, “The Impact ofTechnology on the Future of Work.” I gained a sudden realization of the future trends in information technology. Technology is expected to take a new turn as provided in the article. The new trends have positive and negative effects to the lives of humans (Thomas, Kass, & Davarzani, 2014). New digital technologies are expected to perfect work outcomes by increasing both quality and quantity of output.

Nevertheless, the increased use of robotic tools and automated machines will take the place of employees leading to increased unemployment if companies fail to be digital by looking digital. The use of robots can generate more employment opportunities by increasing the number of professional working on the robots and within the robot manufacturing firms. It also comes out that many companies may perceive themselves as being digital while they are actually looking digital. Looking digital has actually resulted to the negative effect of IT (Thomas, Kass, & Davarzani, 2014).

Being digital requires more than making use of digital activities like video chats, social media, and hosting online tools. Being digital thus requires new technologies to augment, but not to replace the physical tasks done by humans. Instead of creating unemployment, new information technologies should create better opportunities for workers by enhancing human capabilities, work experience, knowledge, and job opportunities (Thomas, Kass, & Davarzani, 2014). Answer to Question 22.1 Agile Agile refers to one of the various big buzzwords within the IT development industry.

Agile development is a different approach to the management of IT development teams as well as projects. Agile has some key principles that include active user involvement, team empowerment in decision making, fixed timescale for requirement evolvement, capture requirement, and the development of small, incremental releases and iterate (Walters, 2007). Other agile principles include focusing on frequent product development, systematic completion of feature, applying the 80/20 rule, testing, and the use of collaborative/cooperative approaches between stakeholders (Walters, 2007).2.2 The Dawn of the Smart Factory (Uploaded)Siemens has developed a “dense mesh of technologies that are integrated and cooperating into a smarter, more efficient whole" according to the article “The Dawn of Smart Factory.

” The implementation of the mesh technology has impacted enhancement of efficiency through minimization of defects and downtime as well as waste and waiting issues (The Dawn of the Smart Factory, 2014). It has also enabled managers illuminate many aspects in the working processes and in the global environment. Another key impact involve the system designs where companies require systems architects and other experts to understand aspects like data elements that are captured through various devices.

Besides, there will be an increase in data storage as well as data storage capacity. Some negative impacts include the cost of data maintenance and the need for more expertise. Answer to Question 3IT has typically become a significant part of business strategy. This significance implies that IT really matters a lot to business. Nevertheless, Nicholas Carr asserts that IT does not matter because profitability of a company is not based on the amount invested in IT. His assertions that IT does not matter also imply that information technology has degenerated in its importance as the power and ambiguity associated with IT increases (Carr, 2003).

IT in business does not matter because different approaches in IT investments and management need to change dramatically. Moreover, gaining competitive advantage from IT investment is typically difficult especially for the average companies. The perception of Carr contradicts that of Gartner since the latter considers IT to be useful for business growth and development (Hunter, Lopez, & Scheibenreif, 2012). IT has largely improved the value chain in production. Carr however considers IT to be expensive, but he does not disapprove of its enhancement of value chain.

In fact, average companies will incur more cost of adjusting to the prevailing IT developments (Carr, 2003). IT vendors are mostly focused on making the best out of their sales without considering the difficulties that could be faced by customers. If the vendors could focus on improving customer service, both the vendors and the customers would benefit simultaneously. ReferencesCarr, N. G. (2003). IT doesnt Matter. HBR at Large, 41-50.Hunter, R., Lopez, J., & Scheibenreif, D. (2012). Exploring the Future: IT Is the Business.

Gartner, G00232779, 1-10.The Dawn of the Smart Factory. (2014). Retrieved from Industryweek.com: http://www.industryweek.com/print/technology/dawn-smart-factoryThomas, R. J., Kass, A., & Davarzani, L. (2014). From Looking Digital to Being Digital: The Impact of Technology on the Future of Work. Accenture, 1-44.Walters, K. (2007, February 10). What Is Agile? (10 Key Principles of Agile). Retrieved from allaboutagile.com : http://www.allaboutagile.com/what-is-agile-10-key-principles/