Technology is the application of knowledge to achieve practical goals in a repeatable way. The term can refer to both tangible tools like utensils and machines, as well as intangible services and platforms like software. Whether it’s making work easier or enabling new business models, tech has both advantages and disadvantages that affect society in profound ways.
Increases productivity: Technology enables businesses to automate most of their processes which results in increased efficiency and effectiveness. For example, using the right software can help you track and manage customer data in real-time. This can allow you to identify patterns that lead to more sales, or improve the quality of your products.
Provides better accessibility: Many people with physical disabilities have benefited from using assistive technologies. These devices can be used to improve their motor and cognitive skills, as well as to communicate with others. Additionally, they can also enable them to perform tasks that would be difficult or impossible to do otherwise.
Enhances education: The use of technology in the classroom allows students to learn at their own pace. This helps students who have trouble keeping up in the traditional competitive classroom environment. It also prepares them for technical working environments when they start looking for jobs.
As a cultural force, technology tends to prioritize certain routes and ends over others. For example, as digital cameras became more prevalent, analogue photography was deprioritized along with its associated behaviors — inefficient, but gratifying workflows and painstaking culture of physically retouching images for hours at a time.