CAPE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

1
CAPEINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Unit 1 Information technology theory Module
3 Information and problem-solving

• Objective 3
• Describe the role of information in the solution
  of real-life problems.

2
Identification of information required in solving
problems(1)

• There is no doubt that improvements in
  information and communication technologies have
  narrowed the information gap between the rich and
  poor sections of the world.
• Information, which used to be available only in
  the rich world, is now more likely to be
  available in the developing world as well.
• For an individual, an organization, or a country
  to be successful in this new world order, it is
  imperative that one be able to analyze real life
  problems not only in terms of the purely physical
  resources required for its solution, but also in
  terms of the information necessary.

3
Identification of information required in solving
problems(2)

• An example may illustrate the point. A successful
  exporter of sauces, jellies and condiments in one
  of the Caribbean territories had discovered that
  there was a much larger demand for the guava
  jelly than the exporter could meet.
• At first sight, this might seem like a simple
  supply problem. It might seem that there simply
  were not enough guavas available to produce jelly
  in the required quantities.
• However, a little probing showed this preliminary
  analysis to be incorrect.
• It turned out that the exporter sourced his
  guavas by sending persons to the various markets
  in the territory to buy up all the guavas they
  could find.

4
Identification of information required in solving
problems(3)

• Clearly, this was not the most efficient way of
  ensuring a steady supply of the fruit.
• It would have been much better if sellers of
  guavas were aware of the exporter's need for
  their fruit or, alternatively, if the exporter
  knew which producers might have guavas for sale.
• In other words, the supply problem arose not
  because there were not enough guavas available
  it arose because the exporter did not know where
  to find them.
• Thus, what might have seemed to have been a
  supply problem was in fact an information
  problem.

5
Identification of information required in solving
problems(4)

• An important criterion to getting information
  (i.e. correct information) is research.
• Yes, research is an intimidating or even fearful
  concept, but you should realize that you are
  engaged in research in many of your day-to-day
  activities.
• For example, finding out the time of the day, the
  location of the next class or looking up a number
  in a telephone directory are all examples of
  simple research.
• It is therefore essential to identify information
  necessary to solve personal, commercial,
  scientific and social problems.

6
Categorization of information in solving problems

• In the solution of a problem, information can be
  categorized as

Category Synonyms
Essential crucial, vital, important, necessary, needed, required
Desirable wanted, useful, advantageous
Extraneous irrelevant, inappropriate, unrelated
Cosmetic superficial, made-up, aesthetic