Technology keeps on advancing and it is becoming very essential in our lives, everyday people Use Technology To improve on the way they accomplish specific tasks and this is making them look more smarter. . Technology is being used in many ways to simplify every aspect of our lives. Technology is being used in various sectors. For example, we use technology in education to improve on the way we learn, we use technology in business to gain competitive advantage and to improve on customer care services and relationships, technology can be used in agriculture to improve on agricultural outputs and to save time,
we use technology in classrooms to improve the way our students learn and to make the teachers job easier, technology is also used in health care to reduce on mortality rate, we use technology for transportation as a way of saving time, we use technology in communication to speed the flow of information, technology is being used for home entertainment , we use technology at the workplace to spend less time working and to increase production. Their so many ways how humans can use technology and I have listed over 1oo ways how technology is being used in our lives.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ?
Communication is a very important factor in a business. Business owners, managers and employees need good communication technology to enable them transfer information which might be needed to make decisions. The flow of information with in or out side of the business will determine the growth of that business. It does not matter how big or small the business might be, communication is very necessary , for example, business owners need to communicate to their customers on time, they also need to communicate to their suppliers or business partners, they also have to communicate with their employees on a daily basis to know about the activities in the firm. This sounds like a lot of responsibility, but with technology, all this can be done on the same day with less stress on the business owner. Businesses can use communication technology tools like electronic mail ‘’email’’, mobile videoconferencing, fax, social media networks, mobile phones and text messaging services to communicate with everyone in a single day. Below I have listed some detailed points on the use of technology in business communication.
1. Use Sharepoint or Intranet Networks: Both big and small business will find a great need of having an internal intranet network. A website used by employees and business owners at work only, intranet websites or portals can not be accessed from out side the company because their hosted on a local company server, and this helps the business exchange information with its employees without exposing it to the World Wide Web (www). Many companies have these networks and employees have intranet emails used for communication at work only. Business managers can easily draft a message and send it to all employees via an intranet network; also employees can use the same network to share information with in the business. This all process protects information and it also facilitates the flow of information with in the business. Big companies like Apple, Microsoft, Dell, IBM still use these intranet networks to communicate with their employees.
2. Use Instant Messaging Services: Many small business owners have found instant messaging as a valuable and affordable tool which makes communication easy, text messaging is far more effective than electronic mail, though with email communication technology you can send big data files which you can not do with instant text messaging services. However, instant messaging can be used when a simple message needs to be passed over to any party in the business, it could be from the business manager to employees or from employees to the business manager. The good news is that most of these instant messaging services can be used at zero cost, for example, Yahoo messenger, Google Chat, Skype and other services.
3. Use Electronic mail communication: Electronic mail ”Email” is a default communication technology for every business and organization. On every business card, you will see an email address in the company name of that business. For example, if some one owns a Web Agency, you will see an email of the Web Agency in this format (sales@thatwebangency.com). Emails are used to communicate to employees, suppliers, customers and to business managers. Unlike text messaging, emails are for professional messages and they can be used to transfer big files of data, the size of files that can be transferred via email will be determined by your email hosting company, but in most cases they range between 1MB – 5GB per file. To look professional, avoid free mail hosting services for business, make sure you have a customized email in your company name, this looks professional and it will also help in the marketing of your website.
4. Use Telephone Communication: Just like email also telephones are standard business communication tools. In normal circumstances businesses have both fixed telephone lines for offices and mobile phones. Fixed telephone lines are basically used during working hours and some well established businesses dedicate a phone assistant to simply answer any business calls which come in during working hours. People who call on fixed lines are commonly customers or business suppliers, these fixed telephone lines also have voice mail recorders which can be replayed during working hours. For mobile phones, they seem to be personal gadgets, so communication via mobile phones is commonly between business owners and their business partners or employees.
5. Use Social media: Both companies and consumers use special social media to communicate. Well established businesses use company based social networks like Yammer.com, as of now, Yammer.com is being used by more than 200,000 companies worldwide. For those who are not aware of this network, it’s an enterprise social network, basically created for companies and employees to exchange business and work related information. You can only use this network if you have a custom company email address, so only people with a verified company email address can join your company network.
Then we also have consumer based social networks like facebook.com, on this network, businesses create customer service pages which they use to interact with their customers in real time. The integration of your business with consumer based social networks will help it in improving of your customer care service and it will also help you reach more potential customers.
6. Use Fax machines: Not every business uses a fax machine, but as your business expands and grows bigger, you will find yourself in need of a fax machine. Fax machines are used to send and receive files over a telephone line. Then we also have e-fax machines which receive files from emails. Just like text messaging, a fax machine will deliver a printed message on instant, although you will have to be at the office to receive this massage. Fax machines are one of the first and oldest communication technologies used in business communication.
7. Use Multimedia tools: This is recorded content which can be used in a meeting or it can be used by human resource managers to train new employees. Messages are transferred inform of recorded videos or audio and it can be accessed via computers or smart phones or smart white boards at work. Very few businesses use this type of communication, though it also has its own impact in business communication. Videos or audio messages can be uploaded on intranet networks so that only staff members get access to these Medias.
8. Use Voice mail machines: It is commonly known as a message bank. This is a centralized system which helps in storing of telephone messages which can be retrieved during working hours. In most cases these voice mail systems are installed on fixed business telephone lines which are used by customers and other business associates, so if a business does not work 24 hours, they can leave their telephone line on voice mail. Then in the morning, the person in charge can retrieve the recorded phone calls and act immediately.
9. Use Tele Conferencing / Video Conferencing Tools: Technology has changed the way business owners communicate with their employees or business partners. Now with communication technologies like mobile video conferencing which enable a business owner hold a business meeting using a smart phone or a mini tablet like the ipad while traveling has made business communication so easy and flexible. tele conferencing software like ”SKYPE or Vidyo” can be used on any smart phone with a web-cam.
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BUSINESS ?
10.Use Technology to Save time: Both small and big organization use technology to save time. Time is a very crucial factor in business. Many business managers use technology to hold meetings via videoconferencing tools, employees use technology at work to complete tasks on time, technology is used to speed up the flow of information with in an organization and this helps in the process of decision making among employees and business managers. Some businesses or organizations have automated some sectors and others have equipped their employees with technological tools like computers to help them speed up their tasks while at work.
11. Use Technology To Transfer information: The rate and speed at which information moves with in and out side the organization or business will determine the growth of that business. Well equipped organizations or business have used technology to created centralized data networks, via these networks, information can be stored both remotely or internally , and employees or managers of that organization can retrieve that information at any time to help them make analytical business decisions. Making decisions in a business is based on facts and data, so with a centralized data base of information, the all process of accessing and analyzing data becomes simple.
12.Use Technology To Gain competitive advantage: Business competition is healthy because it results into business growth. During the process of competing for specific markets, customers in that market tend to get the best services as an incentive of winning their royalty. Technology has helped small businesses compete with big well structured businesses. Unlike, in the past when some productive technologies could only be accessed by wealthy companies, today, also small business can use simple technology to gain competitive advantage. With technology, it is not about who has the best technological tools, but how do you use them to serve your clients. We have seen many wealthy companies with advanced technologies losing markets to small businesses, simply because they can use the technology they have to serve their customers demands.
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FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES ?
13. Use Green Technology to save the environment: Our feature depends on the survival of our environment. Many green technologies have been developed for future use and development. For example, we have technologies like the green electric cars which will no-longer depend on fuel but they can be charged with solar power or wind energy while in motion. The more we exploit the Mother Nature for natural resources the more our environment will be at risk. Many technological companies have started changing their manufacturing technologies to reduce on air pollution and they now produce environmentally friendly technological products like green computers which use less power.
14. Use Mobile Videoconferencing: Communication is one of the most important factors in development, for our small businesses to survive in the future, we need to use advanced communication tools like mobile videoconferencing. In this case, you do not have to worry about being late for a meeting which might create a positive impact towards your business growth. Smart phones and portable gadgets like the Mini Ipad can make mobile conferencing possible in the future. Just imagine your self being in a meeting while on a plane or on a train. This is one of the smartest communication technologies which should be used for future business development; technological companies like vidyo.com have made this possible.
15. Use Mobile Learning: iBooks have made learning mobile, text on iPads, Kindle Fire and other tablets is clear and these portable gadgets have big storage space of about 65GB and more, this is enough storage space to keep all your books, videos and audio notes. Unlike computers which are heavy to carry, smart phones and mini tablets like the iPad Mini will make it easy for students to learn and access academic information in the future. For now, these technologies are expensive, but tomorrow, we shall have more students learning via their mobile gadgets. Not only can you read text books via these smart tablets, but you can also make orders for electronic books using the internet, and you can simply download the book after the placing the order.
TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS?
16. Use automated programs: Many teachers have issues with assessing students work and grades, you might find one teacher has to grade over 60 students, analyze their work, comment and suggest areas of improvement. This sounds like a lot of work for one person, and they have to be accurate, because any mistake made in a student’s grade can affect their future. We leave in an economy, where less money is spent on reducing sizes of classes, so you will find that many teachers are stressed out with big classrooms, the workload is too much yet the payment is also little. So as a teacher, you can use technology to automate some processes. For example, you can use tools like Piazza.com to manage your students’ course work, track their performance and also assign them work. On the same network, you can create a virtual classroom, where students can post and answer questions.
17. Use grammar tutorials and puzzles to teach English: Speaking English and writing in English are completely different. Some students are so good when it comes to spoken English, but very poor when it comes to composing a good sentence. These students find it difficult to understand some grammatical principles even when taught by a good teacher. So the best way of making them learn is by giving them grammar tutorials and videos. Technology will help teachers get revealed of the burden of attending to each student with a special grammar need, in general, the teacher can use grammar puzzles or games in the classroom, students will participate in a fan way, yet they will be learning. Teachers can also use computer word processing applications to correct student’s grammar; every computer has a word processing application like ”Microsoft Word ”
18. Use tracking software to monitor students writing skills: Teachers can use writing software like ”Essay Punch” to help students learn how to write an informative essay. Essay Punch helps students with guides on how to write a short essay which describes, persuade or informs. The software comes with a menu of topics; students can choose any topic from this menu and start working on their writing skills. When the essay is complete, the student is guided in the process of re-writing the essay, editing, outlining, organizing the essay and publishing the essay. Then the teachers can use a record management system to monitor their student’s progress.
19. Use tablets for visual illustrations in science classroom: Teaching a science classroom will require visual illustrations. It is very difficult to explain every science topic in text format. So teachers can find a great use of tablets in the science classroom. Since these tablets are expensive, teachers can group students to share a tablet. In this case, students can form groups of 3-4 students to share a tablet, then the teacher can control data derived on these tablets using an internal network with the science classroom. Teachers can use this internal network, to send illustrations and visual data on tablets.
20. Use internet to publish students work: Teachers can use the internet to publish works of bright students; this will inspire other students in the classroom. This work can be published on a classroom blog, slideshare.net, Google docs, or it can also be published as an e-book for other students to download. This process will encourage the good students to write better essays so that their works can be read by others.
TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORKPLACE
21. Use Technology to improve efficiency at work: Technology can change the way we do most of our work and it can also reduce the stress we get because of the many tasks we have to do in one day. Employees can perform more than one task using technology, for example, a secretary can compose a mail to be sent to all employees, yet at the same time they can make a call to a supplier or a customer with in the same time. This employee is using three types of technologies, internet and computer to compose an electronic mail, then they also use a telephone to contact the supplier of customer.
22. Use communication technology to improve information flow at the workplace: Communication technology improves the way we interact with each other at work. Tools like internet, text messaging services, telephone, enterprise social networks like (Yammer.com), e-fax machines, and many more tools facilitate the flow of information at the workplace. Decision makers at the workplace will depend on the speed of data flow to make quick decision that might be of benefit to the company growth.
CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE:
23. Respond to customer needs on time: Every business survives on its customers, the more clients you have the more successful your business will become. So it is very important to serve your clients on time and also tailor products and services basing on their needs. Use internet technology to get responses on what your customers need, create a company website to collect data from your customers, make sure that your customers can contact you directly via your websites. Respond to your customers’ requests on time, some companies have full time online assistants who will handle orders, complaints and suggestions from customers. Build your business with your customers then you will be the winner of all time.
24. Improve payment systems: The module of payment will also be part of your customer service. Use technology to improve on the way people pay for your services or products. Today we have various methods of payment, i.e. PayPal , smart car payments , mobile phones payment (Google Wallet and Square ). If a client likes your service or product, they will want to make an order, so this process has to be very simple, the more payment options you give your clients, the more money you will make and also your clients will be pleased by the good customer service.
WAYS TO USE TECHNOLOGY IN MARKETING ?
For any business to succeed it has to market its services or products. However, some advertising Medias can be too expensive for small businesses. But with technology, also small businesses can reach targeted markets and gain competitive market. In the past years I have seen small businesses like Instagram.com gaining competitive advantage over big well established tech companies like Facebook and Twitter. This success, shows you that , if you market your product or service well, consumers will come and they will not mind if you’re small or big, as long as you provide what you promise. So let’s see how you can use technology to market your small business and spend less.
25. Use electronic mail marketing: Many times marketers have debated on the effectiveness of email marketing, some think it will die very soon, but me in think, nothing will ever replace private life, and email communication is private. So the best way to engage with your clients and avoid your messages from going to the spam filter is by creating a website, then persuade your readers or customers to subscribe for updates or shopping deals. Once the user is subscribed to your emails, they will receive all notifications in their inbox; you can use this opportunity to increase sales by offering special discounts and shopping coupons to your email subscribers
26. Use social media marketing: The field of marketing has been changed by the wave of social Medias. Top social Medias like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Pinterest drive massive traffic to both small and big businesses. The trick is to define your target market and also know which content attracts them. Recent studies show that Pinterest and Facebook are driving lots of traffic to e-commerce sites. When you look at a site like Pinterest, most of the users are women who share things like clothes, shoes, bags, cakes, wedding ideas and much more, to promote your business on Pinterest or Facebook, you will need to know which content to use. On facebook, you can run a targeted advertisement for as low as $100 and reach the people you need.
EDUCATION:
27. Online Education: e-Learning has changed the face of education world wide, unlike in the past when students and educators where bound by physical boundaries, today, and internet technology has played a big role in making education effective. Many colleges and universities provide online professional courses like ACCA and this has helped many students from developing countries gain access to internationally recognized courses which also increases on the chances of these students to compete for Jobs internationally. Also adults who want to go back to school, have used online education facilities to enable them study from their homes after work, some lessons can be downloaded as podcast or videos, so students can learn at any time anywhere.
28. Use of computers in education: To a certain extent, computers help students learn better and they also simplify the teacher’s job. Computers are used to write classroom notes, create classroom blogs, play educational video games and puzzles, to access internet, to store academic information and so much more. Many schools have set up computer labs where students are taught computer basics, and then some private schools have equipped their students with computers in the classroom. Teachers use computerized smart white boards which can help them explain subjects using visual illustrations, these smart white boards can also save teachers work for later use.
29. Use internet for educational research: Both students and teachers use internet for research purposes. In most cases text books have little information about specific subjects, so students and teachers use the internet to make extensive research. Search engines like Google.com & Bing.com are being used to find great educational content online. Also community edited portals like Wikipedia.org have vast amounts of educational content which can be used by both students and teachers for educational purposes or reference purposes. Video streaming sites like Youtube.com are being used in the classroom to derive real time visual illustrations or examples on specific subjects.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
30. Use Online Recruitment Services: Many companies are using internet to recruit professionals. Well known social Medias like Linkedin.com and Facebook.com have helped many companies discover talented employees. Job search engines like indeed.com also make it easier for job listing portals, because, talented employees use these job search engines to find listed jobs on various job portals on the internet. Some job portals also require applicants to post videos about them selves, submit their academic papers and recommendation letters from past employers, which helps the human resource manager to easily get a clue about each job applicant. This all process saves time and human resource managers get a chance to meet talented employees.
31. Use Electronic Surveillance to Supervise Employees: When the business gets big, you will end up with many employees and it will be difficult to keep track of them. So some companies have decided to install electronic surveillance devices which can monitor the performance of all employees. It is quite funny, but humans will perform better under supervision, it is very difficult to find self motivated employees, most of them come go to their workplace to pass time and wait for a paycheck at the end of the month, so using an electronic surveillance system can ensure that all employees complete their tasks.
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HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH CARE?
32. Use Technology for Research Purposes : Many health care professionals use internet to search for information. Since this internet can be accessed from any where, doctors or nurses can do their research work at any time. Even though some of the information published online is not that accurate, the little available approved information can help nurses, doctors and other health care professionals dig deep into certain causes. Popular health care information based websites like www.webmd.com and www.mayoclinic.com have played a big role by publishing relevant health care information online. Data published on these two portals is written by experienced doctors and this make the data relevant.
33. Use Technology to improved treatment and reduce pain: The use of technology in health care facilities has changed the way patients are being treated, it speeds up the process of treating a patient and it also helps it removing any pain which might cause discomfort to the patient. Machines are being used in surgical rooms and this has reduced on the human risks while performing a surgery.
34. Use Technology to improved patient care: Technology is being used to manage patient information effectively; nurses and doctors can easily record patient data using portable devices like tablets. This data can be stored on an internal data base, so it becomes easier to mine data about each patient. Doctors always depend on past history of patients, so this stored information on an internal database with in the hospital will make it simple for Doctors to make quick decision.
DECISION MAKING PROCESS:
35. Use Technology to Mine Data: Once information is captured and processed, many people in an organization will need to analyze that information to perform various decision-making tasks. This data can be stored on a data base which can make it simple for users to retrieve it from the data base onto their computers to make quick decisions. With the help of a data manipulation subsystem, users can be in position to add, change and delete information on a database and mine it for valuable information. Data mining can help you make business decisions by giving you the ability to slice and dice your way through massive amounts of information.
36.Use Technology to Support Group Decision making: Information technology brings speed, vast amounts of information and sophisticated processing capabilities to help groups use this information in the process of making decisions. Information technology will provide your group with power, but as a group, you must know what kinds of questions to ask of the information system and how to process the information to get those questions answered. To make the all process simple, you can use a group decision support system (GDSS), it facilitates the formulation of and solution to problems by a team. A GDSS facilitates team decision making by integrating things like groupware, DSS capabilities and telecommunications.
HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR CLASSROOM ?
37. Visual Illustrations: Teachers can use technology in the classroom by integrating visual illustrations while teaching. Many times students get bored of the normal text based learning process. It is very easy to lose interest in text rather than images or videos. Teachers can use advanced smart white boards and projectors to derive live visual 3D images and videos. These smart boards can also access internet, so a teachers can use websites like Youtube, Google Images, and Pinterest, to derive visual examples about any subject. Students will enjoy learning in this form and they can easily remember each point explained using visual images. Teachers can also tell students to use these smart white boards to explain points to their fellow students, some students learn better when taught by a fellow student.
38. Create classroom blog: This might sound advanced to some teachers or students, but it is actually very simple to own a classroom blog. You can use free blog hosting services like Blogger.com and wordpress.org. With these free blog hosting programs, you will not need to worry about domain renewals or website hosting, all services are free, just because, your classroom blog will be hosted under a free domain name , for example (myclassroom.wordpress.org). Teachers can post course work on these blogs, posts assignments or create debate topics which will require students to carry out the debate using commenting systems like Disqus.com
39. Video games to solve puzzles: Students can learn through educative video games or puzzle, subjects like English and Math can be taught using video games and puzzles. Teachers can create game challenges among students and reward points to winning students or groups. If the classroom has computers and internet, the teacher can tell their students to form small groups of 3-4 students per group, and the teacher assigns each group with a challenge. This can make learning fan and students will learn better.
40. Use computers to Improve writing skills: Teachers can tell their students to write sentences or classroom articles which can be shared with the classroom. Computers have advance word processing applications which can be used in writing of articles, this word processing application has an inbuilt dictionary which can auto correct spelling mistakes and also suggest correct English terms . During this process of article writing using a computer, students get to learn how to spell, how to type and how to compose an article. May be this is the reason why we have so many bloggers now days.
41. Encourage Email Exchange: Teachers can encourage their students to exchange email contact with their friends in the classroom and with other friends from other schools. This process helps students create relationships with students who take the same classes like them, and these students can exchange academic information like past exam papers or home work assignments which can help them learn and socialize with relevant friends. Also teachers can communicate to their students using an email, which in return creates a strong bond between teachers and students.
42. Create podcast lessons: Some teachers might find this difficult, because it requires time to record podcast massage or lessons, but once composed, the teacher will have more time to do other educational activities. Once a podcast lesson is recorded, it can be uploaded on a classroom blog where students can download it and store it on their smart phones or tablets. Podcast lessons are convenient, because a student can listen to a podcast lesson while doing house work.
43. Use text message reminders: Many times students get overwhelmed by the amount of classroom work they have to complete, and the endless tests and exams they have to do. Some times they even forget to attend some lessons or they submit in course work when it’s too late which affects their end of term grades. Teachers can use mobile phone applications like remind101.com, to create text messages which remind their students to submit course work, or to prepare for a test.
IN THE BANK:
44. Use of Plastic Money Cards: Technology has played a big role in changing the face of banking industry. Unlike in the past when you had big sums of money and get exposed to risks of moving with lots of cash, today, plastic money cards are being used to make transactions of any kind. Many banks have VISA CARDS or CREDIT CARDS which can be used worldwide to purchase products or make payments of any sort. The same smart money cards can be used online because all e-commerce websites accept payments with Visa or Debit cards. When the owner of VISA CARD makes a purchase, that money will be transferred from their bank accounts to the merchant’s account, so the all process of exchanging money is electronic.
45. Use of Mobile Banking Services: This service has helped many developing countries in ASIA and AFRICA. Many banks and information technology companies have enabled people in third world countries use mobile phones as banking tools. In most rural areas, their no banks simply because they have poor infrastructures. So BANKS and telecom companies have invested money in mobile phone banking services which enable people transact business using mobile phones. Users of these mobile money services can save money using a mobile phone or withdraw cash using a mobile phone via a mobile money agent in their area. Top mobile phone service providers like Airtel and MTN, have played a big role in facilitating mobile banking in AFRICA and ASIA
46. Use of Electronic Banking: Many banks have simplified the way their customers access personal account information and transferring of money from one account to another. Banks use internet technology to enable their customers request for bank statements or transfer money. This has made the banking industry so flexible and it also saves time and money. Since most of this work is done by web technologies and other banking technologies, banks cut costs on human labor which increases on their profit returns.
BUSINESS ORGANIZATION:
Technology can be used in various ways to facilitate business organization. For example, technology can be used to organize information, it can be used to aid data transfer and information flow with in an organization, technology can be used to process, track and organize business records. Without technology most business would be a mess, just imagine going through the trouble of writing data on papers and keeping large piles of files of data. So in my point of view, technology helps businesses operate effectively. Below i have listed summarized points on the use of technology in business organization.
47. Use Technology to Speed up the transfer of information and data: The rate at which information flows within a business will determine how first things get done. If the flow of information from one level to another is slow, the productivity of the business will be slow and inefficient, customers will not be served on time and this can harm a business or even give a chance to its competitors to gain strength in the market. But if information can move easily and fast, business managers and employees will find it easy to make decisions, customers will be served on time and the business will gain competitive advantage. So how does technology facilitate information flow with in a business? A business can use technological tools like intranet networks to aid the flow of information with in the business, they can also use external networks which require a public website and email to facilitate the flow of information within and out of the business, customers can use email or website contact forms to make inquiries or orders. Also businesses can use centralized data systems to improve on the storage of data and also grant remote or in house access to this data. Banks use centralized data systems to spread information to all customers via their local bank branches, ATMS, internet and mobile phones.
48. Use Technology to Simplify communication in an organization: For any organization to be organized and be efficient, they have to use communication technology tools like emails, e-fax machines, videoconferencing tools , telephones , text messaging services , internet , social media and so much more. Communication in a business is a process and it also helps in the transfer of information from one level to another. For a business to stay organized and serve its customers well, it has to use effective communication tools. The customer service departments must be in position to solve customers’ problems on time, orders are supposed to be fulfilled on time. Business managers can use technology to easily allocate work to specific employees on time.
49. Use Technology to Support Decision making: Since technology makes the transfer of information fast and it also simplifies communication, employees and business managers will always find it easier when they want to make quick decision. To make decisions, employees will need approved facts about a subject or any customer in question. For example, if an accountant wants to know how much money customer X owes the company, they will have to retrieve data from a centralized data base with in that organization on that specific customer, this data will show spending and purchasing patterns of customer X, if this data was stored using an accounting software, the system will clearly show appropriate figures. This will save the accountant and customer X time and it will also help the accountant make a quick decision basing on facts.
50. Use Technology to Secure and Store Business Data: Just imagine a business where you have to record every thing on paper, then file each paper, that would be a waste of time and resource and also this data will not be safe, because any one will have access to those hard copy files. But with technology, every process is simplified. I remember when i was still working for a computer service company, every engineer had an account on an internal database for the company, so they could access electronic Job cards which they had to fill whenever they finished a job, this data could be accessed by the workshop manager and he could follow up on the customers to ensure that the job was done right. When a Job card was submitted for review, engineers would have no permission to re-edit the data, this permission was left to the workshop manager, so the all process seemed organized and secure. Many businesses are using internal databases and networks to simplify data transfer and also ensure that their data is well secured and stored.
AGRICULTURE :
53. Use Technology to Speed up the planting and harvesting process: Preparing farmland using human labor can take a lot of time, so many large scale farmers have resorted to using technological tools like tractors to cultivate and prepare farm land. After this process of preparing the farmland is done, farmers can still use technological tools like a Cluster bomb technology used for seed planting. Then when these crops grow and reach the stage when they can be harvested, the farmer will use another technological tool for harvesting such as a combine harvester. As you have seen, the all process of preparing the field, planting and harvesting is done by machines. This can be expensive for small scale farmers, but large scale farmers will save time and money to manage the all process.
54. Irrigate crops: Farmers in dry areas which receive little rain use technology to irrigate their crops. Water is a very essential factor in plant growth, it contributes almost 95% towards a plant growth, even if the soils are fertile, or when the plants are genetically engineered to survive desert condition, still water will be needed. Farmers can use automated water sprinklers which can be programmed to irrigate the farm during specific periods of time during the day. Water pipes can be laid across the farm land, and water sprinklers can be scattered all over the farm getting the water from the water pipes, farmers can add some nutrients in this water, so that as plants get irrigated, they also get some important nutrients which can enhance their growth.
55. Create disease and pest resistant crops: Genetic engineering has enabled scientists to create crops which can be resistant to diseases and pets. They have also succeeded in engineering crops which can survive in desert conditions and this has helped many farmers in drought areas like Egypt to grow various cash and food crops which in return boots their income. Though some farmers have been reluctant in using these genetic engineered crops because they fear that they can damage their farm soils and also these genetically engineered crops do not produce seeds which can be harvested and planted again. To some extent this is true, in my country, i have seen these engineered oranges, they look so nice and they are big in size, but they have no seeds, so if you want to replant it, you have to go and buy a full grown plant which is expensive some times and this all process does not sound logical when it comes to farming.
AT YOUR HOME:
56. Home Entertainment: Technology has completely changed the way we entertain our selves while at home. Many advanced entertaining technologies for homes have been invented and this has improved our life styles at home. Home entertainment gadgets like 3D – HDMI televisions which show clear images have improved the way we enjoy movies, video games which keep our kids entertained all time while at home and some video games are educational so our kids tend to solve puzzles while having fan at home, advanced home theater systems for playing clear music live from iTunes music store, fast broad band internet we use to stream Youtube videos on ipads, electric guitars and pianos we use to play our own music.
57. Use it to improve Home Security: Technology is being used to improve on our home security. Home spy technologies will enable you keep track of what is going on in your home while at work or on holidays, this spy technology can be installed on your smart phone device or tablet, then connect to the spying web-cam device at home using internet. You can also use hardware home alarm systems, which can be triggered on when some thing wrong happens at home. For example, the alarm system can be connected to report any forced entry in your home, or it can be set to report fire outbreak in the house.
58. Save Energy: With the increasing costs of living, it is has become a must to use technology to save energy. Since we use power to do almost anything at home, it is advisable to opt for low cost saving energy consumption technological tools. If you apply energy saving electronic gadgets in your home, your bills will be cut down by half. For example, you can replace your electric cooker with a gas cooker, gas is cheaper than power, you can use energy saving bulbs, you can use a solar water heater, use can put all your home lights on solar power.
IN ACCOUNTING:
59. Data Security and storage: Accounting as a process deals with analyzing financial data of a business or an organization. Technology helps in keeping of this data safely to ensure that it can be retrieved at any time by employees in the financial department. Financial information is very sensitive, so it can not be accessed by any one in the business or organization. It is only people with experience in accounting who have access to this data, so securing this data on an encrypted data server is very important. Many accountants have undergone special technological training so that they learn how to use various accounting technologies like computers and accounting software.
When it comes to data storage, many technological companies like Dell, Microsoft and Apple have devised high end data servers which can store sensitive data for their clients, in this case, these servers are heavily protected from experienced hackers who can take advantage of your financial data.
60. Use Technology to be accurate: Unlike humans accounting software and computers are more accurate as long as they are used in the right way. Accounting deals with detailed data and record keeping. Data processed during the accounting processed is used to project business growth and it also helps in making of decisions in an organization. Technology has so far proved very effective when it comes to data processing and storing. Simple technological tools like calculators and computers are used in almost every business. Also technology reduces on the number of errors during the process of analyzing data, humans can not deal with figures and data for a long period without making any error.
IN AFRICAN SCHOOLS?
61. Use Computers in African classrooms: Africa has been left behind for years, but now technology is spreading all over the world, and African schools have started using technology in their Curriculum which has brought excitement amongst African students. Some African schools have created computer labs where students get taught basic computer skills like typing, using internet to make research, using of educational video games to solve academic puzzles. This all process has improved the way students learn in African schools. Big organizations like UNICEF have facilitated the One Computer per Child program which ensures that African children get access to computers and also learn how to use them.
62. Replace black boards with smart boards: Not all schools have managed to archive this, because of the poor infrastructure in Africa. Most schools have no power, yet these smart boards use power. However, some urban based schools have got the opportunity to use smart boards in the classroom. Students can learn easily via these smart boards, because teachers use visual illustrations derived directly from the internet. Some African teachers use real time YouTube videos to derive examples on specific subjects, and this has helped African students learn easily and also get exposed to more information. Read more of use of ICT in schools without electricity here worldbank.org
63. Use Internet in African schools: Internet is a very crucial information technology tool which helps in the search for information. Most urban based Africa schools have free wireless internet and some have internet in their computer labs. This internet helps students make educational related research, some of these students have also found a great use of social networks like facebook.com to connect with their former old schoolmates and they also use social sites like ePals.com to get educational information shared by students from various schools. Internet technology has also helped students in Africa study online, for example, accounting courses like ACCA can be done online and this has helped African students get access to advanced educational courses.
IN A BAKERY:
64. Use Temperature Sensors to Monitor room temperature in a bakery: Bakeries can use technology to monitor the temperature of baking rooms. The quality of bakery products like bread or cakes will be determined by time and temperature. If the temperature is too high or too low, the products will be of low quality. So most advanced bakeries have employed automatic temperature sensors which can report any temperature drop or rise. These temperature sensors can send information to the bakery operator and they will act immediately if there is any temperature change with in the baking room. Every baked product has a specific temperature under which it has to be baked, for example, the amount of heat used to bake bread is not the same heat used when baking a cake. However, it is very difficult for humans to measure temperature regularly, so this all process can be managed by technology.
65. Use Technology Produce quality bakery products: Technology can be used in a bakery to produce high quality product. We have seen that electronic sensors can monitor the temperature of baking rooms and they can also determine the time when these products should be in the baking machine. The all process is automated and it is perfect, so you will see that bakeries which use this technology always have the best products. We also have the Hefele turbo flour sifting machine which helps in cleaning the flour. The flour will be fed into the rotating sifting wall and it is not exposed to any grinding effect, which means the flour will be cleaned but it will not lose its texture nor can it heat up. This all automation process will help in saving time and also increase production:
IN A CLOTHING BUSINESS:
66. Inventory: It is very important for a clothing company to keep track on its inventory, because, if they run out of a hot selling fashion trend, the business can suffer a big loss. So sales managers have to use an inventory tracking software to know which fashion trend sells more and how many people are demanding for that trend. With this information, the cloth store manager will stock only the top most selling fashion trends on demand which will increase sells. This inventory tracking software will save the cloth business owner time and money. In simple business economics, demand must equal supply. You can try out www.wardrobetools.com
67. Point of Sale: Since clothing stores transact full time sales, they need to use technology to help them in cash registering and order tracking. Many advanced clothing stores are using cash register software which helps in adding of total sales per day, calculating of tax , processing of coupon codes, scanning of item bar codes and they also help in updating inventory records after each purchase. Also stores are using technology to simplify the way customers pay for items, for example, most clothing stores accept smart card payments like debit cards, and they also operate online stores which accept PayPal payments. This improves on their customer service and it also results into increased sales.
68. Promotion: If you look at the clothing business, it has a very high level of entry, which means that competition has to be very high. So for any clothing store to brake through, they have to use technology to gain competitive advantage over other clothing stores. For example; a clothing store can create an online store and socialize that store with top social networks like facebook, then give away free shopping coupons to its fans on facebook. Also fashion social networks like Pinterest can help a small cloth store promote its self and give away shopping gifts to pinterest users. This all process will not cost a small clothing store more than $1000, yet it will gain them a big audience of fashion lovers and also increase on their sales. Look at small fashion e-commerce sites like nastygal.com which has gained competitive advantage over Amazon.com in the fashion world.
IN ARCHITECTURE?
69. Use Web Technologies: Many architectures use web technologies like email, internet, to perform various tasks. Web technologies are being used in transferring of information, storing of data, filtering and securing of data, all this enables architectures organize and easily access architectural data. Architectures can use shared screen software like Skype, to discuss drawings with other parties or their customers. Video conferencing tools can be used to discuss a project with clients and this simplifies the way architectures do their job. Also a website can be created to showcase past works done by these architectures, this website can also be used to acquire new customers.
70. Use Computers to make Drawings: Most architects find a great use of computers during the process of making sketches of their drawings. Computer aided design software (CAD) is being used during the process of making sketches. Then the architecture can use a projector and a smart board to share a sketched plan with their workmates to suggest areas of improvement. Also computers can be used as storage devices for all architectural works. It is always advisable to keep a soft copy of the final architectural drawing, and then use the printed copy for on-site development.
71. Use Large Format Printers to print out Drawings: After using a computer to sketch any drawing, the architect will need to use a large format printer to print out a hard copy of that sketch. In most cases, they use 24 x 36 large papers for these print-outs. Many copies can be made, so that some are sent to the customer and others are shared with fellow architects to suggest areas of improvement.
72. Use Digital Cameras: Before the architect starts sketching a new plan for any construction, they will need to take pictures of the building or ground to be worked on; this helps them during the process of planning a new design. Photographs do help architects remember important site characters which can be referred on when creating a new design.
73. Use Laser Measuring Tools: Every architect will need good measuring tools to ensure accuracy of their works. Laser measuring tools are more accurate compared to a normal ruler, though some architectures might prefer an ordinary ruler while drawing sketches on papers. These measurements are very important, because construction engineers will base on those quoted measurements to build a standard infrastructure.
IN ART AND DESIGN:
74. Use technological tools to create sculptures: Artists use technological tools to create sculptor and other art pieces. For example, a flexcut Mallet Tool can be used to shape large amounts of wood, these mallets come in different sizes and each mallet will have its own role during the process of wood carving. Each mallet tool has high carbon steel blade which is attached to an ash handle. Other tools can include shaping and patterning sculpting thumb, Loop and ribbon tools and many more. Buy a sculpting tool here dickblick.com
75. Use Internet to Market Art Work: Before we started using internet, it used to be very difficult for good artists to market their creative works, most artists would die before selling their master pieces and museums would take the role of hunting and discovering these great art works. Today, internet technology enables artists to show case their great art works online. Some social based networks like www.500px.com allow artists to show case their works in form of photography and they also enable them to sell these works via this network. However, some artists do not want to expose their works online because they fear that someone might take advantage of their creativity and copy their art pieces.
76. Use technology to get Inspiration: Art is aided by inspiration; once an artist is exposed to various experiences, their brains will create an art fact out of that experience. So the internet helps in this process of creating ideas. A lot of information is published online in form videos or pictures, so artists can use this data to create a meaningful art piece. Also young artists use the internet to study works of professional artists who are beyond their reach. Some museums have published these art facts in form of pictures on line, so any artist can access this data from any where and learn some basics from great artists.
77. Use laser sensors to secure art pieces in museums: Art theft is on the increase because of the abnormal prices paid for these art pieces. According to The Newyork Times, an original Pablo Picasso’s Nude, Green Leaves and Bust costs $106.5 million, so this attractive value of just a single art piece will attract art thieves to any museum with this item. This has forced art museums to use electronic laser sensors which can detect movement and sound, then they trigger off alarms to alert armed guards if any one tries to get close to them. To some extent this has helped in securing some great art works.
IN BADMINTON?
78. Use Advanced Badminton Rackets. Badminton is a cool game with many fans; technology has also helped in advancing of the badminton game. Advanced Badminton rackets help players enjoy the game and play for longer hours. The newly advanced rackets, have a lighter frame, this makes them so flexible during the game. These frames are made of elastic particles mixed with carbon fibers which enable the player to swing faster and the racket puts less pressure on the players’ hands. Also these newly advanced rackets have shock-less grommet, these grommets will not tear or pop out during the game due the pressure of the ball on the racket and this improves the game of badminton.
IN BASKETBALL:
79. Use Basketball Shoe Technology: In most cases when you think of sports shoes, you will not think of how technology can be used in the development of basket ball shoes. However, basketball is a motion sport which requires players to jump up and down, so the types of shoes they have to wear have to be in position to support these movements. When these basketball shoes are being manufactured, the design is focused on making them light and breathable so that they support the players well and prevent any injuries that might occur during the process of jumping. These basketball shoes prevent injuries in various ways, for example, they provide adequate ankle support and they also lace-up to the top which provides a snug fit. Though these technologically advanced basketball shoes come at a high cost, all NBA players are advised to wear them and players are supposed to have more than one pair because playing in one pair all the time will cause the sneakers to worn out and they will start putting pressure to the players ankle and feet which might expose them to injuries during the match.
80. Use broadcasting technology: Many basketball fans have been in position to watch live NBA basketball games while at home on their televisions. Well known cable television companies like CBS INTERACTIVE have managed to broadcast these NBA basketball games live using their advanced 3D broadcasting technologies. As a fan of basketball, I have benefited from this technology, because i have no worries of missing my favorite game.
BEAUTY SALONS:
81. Marketing : Unlike in the past when your next door beauty saloon was only known by that community, today things have changed, beauty salons have adopted the social marketing fever and many of them are using social networks like facebook , yelp , and foursquare. The most important social networks for these local businesses are Yelp.com and Foursquare.com. With yelp.com, customers can post reviews on any beauty salon with in their location, then users of Yelp can base on those reviews when searching for recommended beauty salons with in their location. Then foursquare.com will basically suggest beauty salons your friends on facebook like. For example, if a beauty salon owns a facebook page and it promotes its self well to targeted users, its customers will click the Like Button if they appreciate the services being offered at that beauty salon, so if your friend Likes a specific salon with in your location, the next time you use foursquare, they will use the data from facebook and suggest beauty salons liked by your friends with in that particular location. So foursquare will act as a localized recommendation service powered by your friends ‘’LIKES’’.
82. Use SMS REMINDERS: Due to the huge competition in the beauty salon business, it is advisable to stay in touch with your client all the time at an affordable cost. If you want to gain competitive advantage and increase on the number of customers for your beauty salon, you will need to integrate SMS technology in your business. Launch sms campaigns with offers to your already verified customers and also promote incentives to new customers using sms advertisement. It is very cheap to send bulk sms, all you need are the contacts of your clients and other targeted customers. Satisfy your customers by offering the best service and also keep them engaged all the time. Customer service is a very crucial factor in business growth. Some of the services you can offer via sms can include appointment reminders, holiday promotions, coupons for discounts, suggesting of new styles for your clients and much more.
83. Use Salon Management Software: This SMS ”salon management software” will help you manage your salon effectively, this software can help you manage appointments, financial records, manage inventory and also manage payrolls. With this software you can be in position to build a list of clients and track their spending patterns when ever they come to your salon, this will help you customize packages for them which will improve on your customer care service. The cost of this software varies depending on the functions and needs of a client, so you have to specify what you need, but in most cases, a standard SMS with basic features can cost you like $100 only. If you want to try this software out, visit melissamsc.com
BIOLOGY CLASSROOM?
84. Use Visual illustrations: Biology teachers have found great use of technology in their biology classrooms. Biology teachers use smart boards and projectors to derive live examples in visual form in the classroom. Biology is more of a practical subject, where by for students to understand some biological concepts, images and video illustrations have to be used. Let’s assume students are learning about the human heart and the way it works. Text or verbal explanations will not work well in a lesson like this, so the teacher has to use a smart whiteboard to show visual illustrations on how the human heart functions.
HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY IN CAREER COUNSELING?
85. Use Computers in Career Counseling: Choosing the right career is for your future is a big decision, in many cases, we make decisions basing on facts, computers are good technological tools which can used to store and analyze facts. Many career counselors use computers to show their clients facts about specific careers, so both the counselor and the client will go through the data which might include number of people competing for that particular career in the market, how many companies are in position to cater for that career, how much money is paid, challenges and opportunities of that specific career. To simplify the job of career counselors, they use computer guidance systems, for example; the ” System for Assessment and Group Evaluation (SAGE), Computerized Career Assessment and Planning Program (CCAPP),
86. Use Internet in Career Counseling: Some times, you will have no access to a real career counselor; some times you might not even have the money to pay for one. So here is where internet comes into play. You can use internet to make research about different careers. Use top search engines like Google.com / Bing.com / Yahoo.com /Ask.com , to get specific information about any career, you can know which companies will hire you , how much money they can pay basing on average salaries issued in that company, risks and opportunities involved if you pursue that career, and much more. All this information is available online. You can also try to use job listing portals like indeed.com to search about salaries and jobs within your location.
IN CHURCH :
87. Use internet to deliver church Sermons: As the world develops, more and more people are getting busy and they get attached so much to their careers, the cost of living is increasing so Christians find them selves working on Sunday’s. For churches to keep up with their Christians, they have decided to use internet to reach masses of Christians across the globe. Well known pastors like Joyce Meyer are using internet to reach millions of Christians across the globe (Joycemeyer.org) , so as Christians are at work, they can use their smart phones , computers or tablets like the iPad to access spiritual information in form of videos, audio or text.
88. Use Social networks to preach the gospel: Many Christian groups have found great use of social networks to spread the gospel and also to get in touch with fellow Christians across the globe. Social networks like facebook.com are being used to create social Christian groups, followers of a specific faith can create a religious group page and invite other believers to join that group, so when ever a new update is made via that page, all followers will be notified via their facebook feed. Also these followers can use that group page to ask questions about any thing.
89. Use text messages as reminders of the gospel: Many times Christians are faced with challenges of all sorts and sometimes they might not be in position to go and seek spiritual advice from church leaders. Advanced churches have embraced the text messaging technology, which is used to stay in touch with Christians. Biblical and self empowerment messages are sent using text messaging services, this helps Christians stay on track.
IN COLLEGE:
90. Use Internet for Research: Many college students know how to use internet, most of them have internet both at school and at home. Top technological colleges provide free wireless internet on their campuses, this has helped college students get access to free internet while at school, which has helped them make educational research online. Some time teachers assign college students research work which requires them to use internet. For example, information technology students must have access to internet so that they understand certain concepts. Let’s take an example of a college student in America, who has to complete a research report about ‘’The impact of technology in AFRICA’’ , by all means, this student will need access to internet and learn about Africa and how technology has changed social and economic lives of people in Africa.
IN CONSTRUCTION ?
Construction builds two types of structures and these include buildings and heavy engineering structures. Technology is used in both the planning process of these structures and it is also used during the building process. Buildings are enclosures to protect or provide security to humans, their products and equipments from getting damages from external elements and these can include residential homes and ware houses. Yet heavy engineering structures are basically commercial buildings like Sky Scrappers, Shopping malls, Sports stadiums etc… Below I have listed a summarized list of how technology is used in construction.
91. Use Technology to Prepare a construction site: The location of a building has to be well planned so that it meets the needs of the owner of the building and the needs of people surrounding that area. This process will involve site inspection and technological tools like Gas Detectors which offer protection from dangerous concentration of VOC solvents like methyl ketone. Ketones are toxic and explosive, so engineers will always inspect the site to make sure that it is good for the construction. Once the site is proved to be okay, all obstacles will be cleared and the location of the new building will be marked.
SOLVING CRIME ?
92. Use Lie Detectors: Police use a lie detection machine to find a convicted criminal guilty. To some extent, this machine has helped police solve criminal cases, but also criminals have found a way of tricking the machine. Technology is not that perfect when it comes to humans, but it helps in solving some problems. A Lie Detector will base on your physiological reaction whenever you’re asked a question, if you’re lying, the machine will detect a change in your blood flow, heart beat, brain functionality etc. In most cases, when a person is lying, their brains will skip and withhold information; this process will trigger the detector to show that you’re lying.
93. Use surveillance cameras: Law enforcements use street view surveillance cameras to track down law breakers and criminals. Also financial institutions, government agencies and big organizations use these surveillance cameras to track activities 24-7. Criminals fear to expose their identities, so they stay way from areas with these surveillance cameras. Most of these cameras can be hidden so that no one recognizes them. A surveillance camera sends live stream videos to the law enforcement so it becomes easy to track criminals. Advanced security organizations like the PENTAGON, use the satellite to track every activity in suspicious areas, this helps them spot terror activities in any country. Now days they have started linking surveillance cameras to the internet, so the law enforcement team can easily access data from anywhere.
DATA COLLECTION:
94. Use Data Collecting Tools to Speed up the process of data collection: Data collection is a process of gathering facts, so you can use technology to aid the process of data collection. However, the type of data you need to collect will also determine the type of technology you want to use to collect this data. Advanced technology has provided us with various tools which we can use to collect data, some of these tools include; portable computers, flash disks , mobile phones, graphic calculators, pH meters, portable microscopes, electronic sensor detectors which can be used when collecting environmental data and many others. All these technological tools can be used to collect data. But computers will be needed in any process of data collection. You can use a computer to analyze your data or use a computer to store and organize your data.
DATA STORAGE:
95. Use Cloud servers: After collecting your data, you will need to store it safely to ensure that predators do not get access to it. Cloud hosting facilities will enable you store your data safely on a remote cloud server. We have many cloud data hosting companies online and most of them provide free storage of up to 5GB , you can use services like Dropbox.com / Box.com , both programs have mobile phone apps and tablet apps which you can use to upload your data direct to the cloud server using the internet. These online data hosting services use strong encryption technology to ensure that your data is safe.
96. Use External Hard drives and Flash disks: You can also store your data using an external hard drive or a flash disk. External drives come in various types; they have different storage capacity which ranges from 60GB – 360GB. To transfer data to an external hard drive, you will need to use a data transfer USB cable, connect this cable to your computer and external hard drive, then copy files over to the external drive. The advantage of storing data on these external drives is that, you will be in position to move with your data and when it comes to data security, these drives can not be hacked via the internet so your data will be safe and you will have no limit on what to store.
DAY CARE CENTERS:
97. Use hidden cameras to monitor children: Many daycare centers are using technology to make sure that children stay safe while in their hands. Since these hidden cameras can be integrated with the internet, parents also get access real time data from the day care center. Even though many parents get no time to use these remote monitoring facilities, some of the parents who use them have found them important. If you’re a parent, just imagine your self logging into a remote network and gain access to what your child is doing, monitor the environment around them. To me, the all idea sounds safe.
In conclusion, these are just a few uses of technology, technology can be used in many other sectors, for example, you can use technology in restaurants , in manufacturing of products , in controlling society, in quality management , use it to enable remote working , in promoting healthy eating using web-technologies and broadcasting technologies, use technology in political campaigns, use it to increase human life span, you can as well use technology in hotel and travel business, we use also use it in transportation. The truth is that, the uses of technology are unlimited. You can build on this list and make it more valuable to your friends by using the commenting box below.
This article has been edited and revised on 24th – 05-2013
