Informatization

Informatization, or informatisation, is the process of expanding and embedding information and communications technologies (ICT) into a country's economy, government, and daily life. It denotes not only the digitization of records but the systematic organization, management, and use of information to improve production, services, governance, and social interaction. The term is widely used in policy discourse to describe national strategies aimed at modernization through information networks and digital platforms.

In practice, informatisation involves building information infrastructure (high‑speed networks, data centers, cloud services), deploying information systems in business and the public sector, and promoting digital literacy and data governance. It encompasses the development of online services such as e-government, e-commerce, telemedicine, distance education, and data‑driven decision making, as well as the integration of automated processes and interlinked databases across organizations.

The goals of informatisation include increased productivity and efficiency, better public service delivery, improved transparency, and wider access to information and markets. It also enables new business models and innovative services through analytics, automation, and network effects. Realizing these benefits requires coordinated policy, investment in infrastructure, standards for interoperability, and attention to privacy, security, and workforce skills.

Challenges include the digital divide, cybersecurity risks, data ownership and governance, privacy protections, and the need to modernize legacy systems. Effective informatisation depends on inclusive access, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and ongoing training to adapt to rapidly changing technologies.

Informatisation is broader than digitization; digitization refers to converting analog information into digital form, while informatisation covers the broader organizational, institutional, and social changes that accompany the widespread use of digital information.