Technology is a means of shaping the world to match our visions of it. It consists of the creative application of knowledge to organised tasks involving people and machines that meet sustainable goals. It encompasses a broad range of fields, from the crafting of tools and weapons to the design of machines that make work easier.
The term is used broadly, but when anthropologists use it, they usually mean technologies that bring the world closer to how we wish it to be. The earliest technologies are the hand-axes of our hominid ancestors and the controlled use of fire.
As we develop more sophisticated technological systems, they tend to become more complex and difficult to manage. Regardless of their complexity, they all require some level of human control. Even the most automatic systems of control need someone to program them, monitor them, take over from them when they break down, and change them as the needs of society and the purposes of the system change.
Whether we use it to stay in touch with friends via the internet or mobile phones, communicate with colleagues using video conference calls or messaging apps, or to track project progress and sales data on business analytics software, technology is an integral part of our daily lives. It’s a force that has helped businesses increase productivity and efficiency while improving their customer service and employee engagement.
For individuals, it’s also provided the means to achieve a greater level of self-realisation and satisfaction with their life. From the invention of the printing press to virtual reality, a whole array of new technologies have allowed us to expand our horizons and access a broader spectrum of human experience.
A technology can be anything from a simple stone tool to an advanced rocket engine. It’s more than just a means of achieving a particular goal; it’s an essential component of a culture that shapes the way we see our place in the world. It includes language, rituals, values, commerce, and art as well as science and engineering.
As a result, there’s a growing awareness of the need to balance the impact of new technology on our lives and the environment. It’s a key concern among those who research, create and implement new technologies as well as the people who have to live with them.
The development of technology is an ongoing process. It involves a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, computing, mathematics, physics, biology, and psychology. Creating a technology requires a great deal of testing and experimentation. It also includes modeling and evaluating different technological solutions through graphical drawings, statistics, and mathematical models. The design process is often iterative and includes the consideration of economic, market, production, technical, and environmental criteria. When a technology is selected, the engineers must communicate it to their team through graphical and verbal means to ensure that everyone understands what has been chosen and why. The technology is then implemented into the production cycle through a series of phases that include testing, evaluation, and modification.
