Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) is: "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." In short, IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit and retrieve information, securely.

In this definition, the term " information" can usually be replaced by " data" without loss of meaning. Recently it has become popular to broaden the term to explicitly include the field of electronic communication so that people tend to use the abbreviation ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Strictly speaking, this name contains some redundancy

The term "information technology" came about in the 1970s. Its basic concept, however, can be traced back even further. Throughout the 20th century, an alliance between the military and various industries has existed in the development of electronics, computers, and information theory. The military has historically driven such research by providing motivation and funding for innovation in the field of mechanization and computing.

The first commercial computer was the UNIVAC I. It was designed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly for the U.S. Census Bureau. The late 70s saw the rise of microcomputers, followed closely by IBM's personal computer in 1981. Since then, four generations of computers have evolved. Each generation represented a step that was characterized by hardware of decreased size and increased capabilities. The first generation used vacuum tubes, the second transistors, and the third integrated circuits. The fourth (and current) generation uses more complex systems such as Very-large-scale integration or System-on-a-chip.

Today, the term Information Technology has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and technology, and the term is more recognizable than ever before. The Information Technology umbrella can be quite large, covering many fields. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include:

·        Data Management

·        Computer Networking

·        Database Systems Design

·        Software design

·        Management Information Systems

·        Systems management

A more extensive list of related topics is provided below.

World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is a consortium of over 60 information technology (IT) industry associations from economies around the world. Founded in 1978 and originally known as the World Computing Services Industry Association, WITSA has increasingly assumed an active advocacy role in international public policy issues affecting the creation of a robust global information infrastructure.

The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) is an industry trade group for several U.S. information technology companies.

Founded in 1961 as the Association of Data Processing Services Organizations (ADAPSO), the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) provides global public policy, business networking, and national leadership to promote the continued rapid growth of the IT industry. ITAA consists of approximately 325 corporate members throughout the U.S., and is secretariat of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), a global network of 67 countries' IT associations.

NASSCOM is the Industry body/chamber of commerce for Information Technology Companies in India. It has been instrumental in helping the Indian Information Technology Industry grow.

Though many organizations depend a lot on IT to get their work done, the following industries are directly dependent on IT.

·        Computing

·        Software

·        Information technology consulting

·        Information technology enabled services

·        Business process outsourcing