What Is a Technology Definition?
Technology definition is essential to anyone involved in a broad range of activities involving the technological aspects of human activity. The technology definition that one chooses for themselves will be based upon their specific areas of expertise. Defined technology is often thought of as something that has already been created and is used by many people.
Technology definition is nothing more than conceptualizing and modeling complex technological systems. This process takes many forms and involves an enormous number of individuals. A large part of this definition involves developing specific goals and objectives and bringing them to fruition. The ultimate definition of technology will be agreed upon by those most capable of exercising its concepts and who are in a position to implement them. The definition of technology can also take the form of a set of ideological goals and practices.
A technology definition must first be determined about what is currently understood about technology and how it works. Often, this process occurs after a specific technological system is developed and implemented. There are sometimes inflexible assumptions made about technology, and often these assume specific characteristics of particular processes, technology, or industries. These assumptions may be necessary for the successful operation of the system. Still, they often do not accurately reflect all the possible processes, technologies, or industries that could work. For technology to truly become a meaningful part of a society, its definition needs to change to consider the changing definition of technology.
The process of developing a technology definition is often an arduous one. Much effort is expended on defining what technology is and what it can do. This effort is often accompanied by what is called “rigorous” experimentation. The purpose of rigorous experimentation is to test the validity of technology definition. This experimentation is designed to validate the definition and verify that processes and technology indeed work.
Often, once the definition has been validated, these tests are followed by changes to the technology, processes, or industries to make the technology more useful or marketable. These changes are sometimes radical. In other cases, incremental changes occur over time due to the successful implementation of the definition. This incremental change may occur in many different ways. However, these changes are designed to make the technology more usable or viable for the future, usually with an eye toward a gradual increase in functionality or a cost reduction.
Once the technology definition has been validated, this definition needs to be tested in real-world circumstances. This testing can occur in several different forms. It can occur in an industry-wide test, usually a whiteboard discussion or whiteboard survey. This can be an event where analysts from different companies are brought together to discuss and debate the definition and identify areas where it can be adjusted or changed to better suit the company’s needs.
Another form of testing technology definition is in an informal setting. For example, combining a formal definition with user groups or informal group discussions can help to validate that the technical definition is indeed meeting its purpose and potentials. This informal testing can also provide a forum for developers and testers to collaborate and identify gaps or missing functionality. In addition to informal testing, formal testing can also occur. This includes using applications, scripts, and testing tools in a controlled environment to provide detailed and in-depth examinations of a technology’s design and implementation.
The technical definition is not set in stone. It is a description of the technology that describes its target application. Because technology is a dynamic entity, the definition will change over time as technology changes and evolve. Companies rely on technology definition to guide their decision-making as it represents their general belief and promise about the technology’s capabilities. While technology is continually changing and evolving, this definition is crucial to the company’s future growth and success. Therefore, the value of technology definition is its ability to serve as a guiding principle throughout the development and implementation of a technology project.