The COMPUTING vs IT Debate

Zaharin Yusoff (Prof. Dr.)

10 September 2013

COMPUTING as the Main Discipline

World bodies, such as ACM (Association of Computing

Machinery), AIS (Association for Information Systems), and
IEE-CS (Computer Society),
define the discipline as
COMPUTING with 5 sub-disciplines
[which includes
Information Technology (IT)]:
Computer Engineering (CE)
Computer Science (CS)
Software Engineering (SE)
Information Systems (IS)
Information Technology (IT)

The sub-definitions are as follows:

[COMPUTING is the PROFESSION that applies its results via the
IT sub-discipline]

Computing (ACM) = CE + CS + SE + IS + IT

Main Domains of Computing (ACM)

Computer Engineering (CE):

Computer engineering is concerned with the design and construction of computers and
computer-based systems. It involves the study of hardware, software, communications,
and the interaction among them.

Computer Science (CS):

Computer science spans a wide range, from its theoretical and algorithmic foundations
to cutting-edge developments in robotics, computer vision, intelligent systems,
bioinformatics, and other areas. Computer scientists design and implement software,
devise new ways to use computers, and develop effective ways to solve computing
problems.

Software Engineering (SE):

Software engineering is the discipline of developing and maintaining software systems
that behave reliably and efficiently, are affordable to develop and maintain, and satisfy
all the requirements that customers have defined for them. The domain has evolved in
response to factors such as the growing impact of large and expensive software systems
in a wide range of situations and the increased importance of software in safety-critical
applications.

Computing (ACM) = CE + CS + SE + IS + IT

Main Domains of Computing (ACM)

Information Systems (IS):

Information systems specialists focus on integrating information technology solutions
and business processes to meet the information needs of businesses and other
enterprises, enabling them to achieve their objectives in an effective, efficient way.
This disciplines perspective on information technology emphasizes information, and
views technology as an instrument for generating, processing, and distributing
information.

Information Technology (IT):

Information technology is a label that has two meanings. In the broadest sense, the
term information technology is often used to refer to all of computing.
In academia, it refers to undergraduate degree programs that prepare students to
meet the computer technology needs of business, government, healthcare, schools,
and other kinds of organizations.
In some nations, other names are used for such degree programs. As opposed to
Information Systems, its emphasis is on the technology itself more than on the
information it conveys. IT is a new and rapidly growing field that started as a
grassroots response to the practical, everyday needs of business and other
organizations.

More information about Confusing Terminologies

Computer Science, Computing, IT,

Computer Science:
Computer science (or computing science) is the study and the science of the theoretical
foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in
computer systems. Computer science spans a wide range, from its theoretical and
algorithmic foundations to cutting-edge developments in robotics, computer vision,
intelligent systems, bioinformatics, and other areas. Computer scientists design and
implement software, devise new ways to use computers, and develop effective ways to
solve computing problems.

Computing:
Computing is the activity (or discipline) of using and improving computer hardware and
software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology.

Information Technology:
Information Technology is the area of managing technology and spans a wide variety of
areas that include but are not limited to things such as processes, computer software,
information systems, computer hardware, programming languages, and data constructs.
In short, anything that renders data, information or perceived knowledge in any visual
format whatsoever, via any multimedia distribution mechanism, is considered part of the
domain.

Producing Resilient (Long Shelf-Life) Graduates:

Meeting Industry HR demands Resolving the Mismatch Problem

3%

21%

41%

12%

12%

3%

HardwareNetwork Software
OS
Business
Database
design Security
Development
& Servers Analytics

5%

3%

SAP/ Multimedia
Tools
ERP

71% of our graduates from IT

programmes are largely not
employable as only 11% are
required

24%

5%

Computer
Engineering

71%

Computer
Science

Systems

AI

OS Networks

Software
Engineering

Information
System

Data is based on Frost and

Sullivans 2010 study for
MDeC

Information
Technology

Current Supply

Current Demand

IT/Computing Term Differentiation

IT

(in

the

d
a
o
br

se
n
se

p
m
o
C

g
n
i
t
u

The term IT is so broad that it includes even Bank tellers and other IT users. Many smaller private
A
University
colleges have taken advantage of this, to produce non-employable graduates

Categorisation of K-Workers
Conceptualizers - those who
conceive of and sketch out the
basic nature of a computer system
artifact:
Entrepreneur
Computing
Product designer
Research engineer
Systems analyst
Computer science researcher
Requirements analyst
System architect

Developers - those who work on

specifying, designing, constructing, and
testing an information technology
artifact:
System designer
Programmer
Software engineer
Tester
Computer engineer
Microprocessor designer
Chip designer

& IT

Computing only

Modifiers/Extenders - those who

modify or add on to an information
technology artifact:
Maintenance programmer
Programmer
Software engineer
Computer engineer
Database administrator

Computing & IT

Supporters/Tenders - those who

deliver, install, operate, maintain, or
repair an information technology artifact:
System consultant
Customer support specialist
Help desk specialist
Hardware maintenance Specialist
Network installer
Network administrator

IT only
A

University