DEFINITION of Information Management Technology (IMT)

Information management technology (IMT) is an umbrella term for the processes, systems, hardware and software a company uses to conduct its day-to-day operations. Information management technology is also considered a professional discipline where a student learns to manage the selection, distribution and organization of all the technology and related process in a business environment. Information management technology is often seen as a driver of organizational efficiency as technology has traditionally helped workers to be more productive with it than without it. As the applications of technology in business have multiplied, information management technology has been further segmented into more meaningful categories that capture the function of the technology being used. This includes the enterprise class IMT like enterprise resource management, enterprise relationship management and enterprise records management. Any one of these sub-categories refers to a functional system that depends on hardware (computers, terminals, sensors, etc.), process (training, auditing, enforcement) and software.

A large corporation will be running many of these systems, some of which will be purchased and some which are proprietary. The budget line encompassing all those systems and the costs of setting them up and maintaining them will be, for simplicities sake, information management technology. Information management technology is also referred to as information technology (IT) and information management and technology. 

1:21

Management Expense Ratio

BREAKING DOWN Information Management Technology (IMT)

Information management technology is a critical part of every business. It enables the big data type insights that drive business strategies, the precision underlying retail supply chain management, the records retention policy for compliance and much more. There are very few business processes that do not depend or cannot benefit from information management technology. 

Information Management Technology as a Career

Information management technology is, as mentioned, a discipline as well as a corporate function. It is often housed under a science program, but it can be part of a disciplinary specialty like a bachelor of health administration with a major in information management technology. Generally speaking, these programs will cover:

  • Project management
  • Data security and role management
  • Data organization and analysis
  • Systems analysis, design and organization
  • Software and hardware assessment

There are also many specialties within information management and technology when it is considered as a career. Data scientists, for example, work with different data sources and sets to create insights, metrics and key performance indicators. Computer network architects handle the creation and maintenance of a businesses network, including administering remote access. Computer hardware engineers design hardware and configure machines in ways that optimize them for their specific function. Workers in information management technology are considered part of the highly skilled workforce and are sometimes referred to as knowledge workers.