How digitization is beneficial?

Introduction

In today’s digital era, everyone in a seriatim fashion is embracing the technology to shape the career, to improve social interactions, to analyze problems, to preserve the moments, and to digitize their profile. In other words people are digitizing their lives. The process in which an analog data or information or geographic feature on a map that is not readable by computer is converted into computer readable format and represented digitally is called digitization.

Benefits of Digitization

Once the data or map or any information is digitized its access can be increased, it can be distributed on massive scale, it can be preserved for long, it can be integrated into software, it can be analyzed in a technological way, and the intentional goals through that data can be achieved efficiently. Digital data on a simple click can be utilized, shared, updated, integrated, multiplied, copied, published, and saved. This is the reason why digital data is less likely to get stolen or get damaged for good and never to be seen again.

Digitizing environment

It is the environment where we dwell. As we know more about the environment, we can benefit ourselves and the environment itself. Digitizing of floods can save lives. Digital flood maps provide the information to the government and to the public and make them a bit relax while making decision about new building or infrastructure or while flood proofing existing ones. Flood maps can be cost effectively used during planning and implementation of mitigation measures at flood prone localities. Digital flood maps can provide access of flood related information to land developers and managers, property owners, infrastructure planners, policy makers, and risk assessment teams.

Similarly, digital soil map can be used for planning of crop production, understanding of ecosystem and climate change, surveying of site for construction, soil data management, integration of soil characteristics into other environmental parameters, assessment of soil degradation and vulnerability, and using soil data in forestry and agriculture.

Digitizing healthcare

Digitizing healthcare can have enormous benefits to the doctors, care takers, patients, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. The doctors can have access to medical condition of a patient, results of medical tests, medicine that the patient is on, allergies information, and does and don’ts with the patient. The patient won’t have to undergo similar examination repeatedly, won’t have to take same tests every now and then, and won’t have to explain same case many times, will be less tensed, and will get fast action to a particular health condition. Both parties i.e. healthcare seeker and healthcare provider will save time, money, efforts, and will enjoy peace of mind at least in the terms of accessible and assessable information. Digital data of health care will provide opportunities of better medical decisions, will be a database for real-time medical research, and will not be used against medical laws due to its openness and real-time availability.

Digitizing academics

Digital libraries have information stored and that information is accessible over a server or over the internet. The user can get the desired material without being physically present in the library and can access library 24/7 round the year. The library management can relocate, add or remove a particular material any time. The library information can be conserved and turned into various copies to lessen the fear of losing that information. There is no physical limitation to store more information after the library has set up and running. Wear and tear of books and shelves don’t affect the availability of a particular material.

Conclusion

At this pace of fast growing digital era, there is high need to digitize offices, shops, work places, art and craft facilities, cooking and recipes, finance departments, healthcare system, planning and management firms, and academics and research etc. Digital maturity in every department requires a digital mindset, management that is equipped with digital know-how, agile techniques for analysis and decision making, and digital skilled resources and workforce.

Digitately written by,

Engr. Ayesha Alam Khurram