In 1976, the term Information Architect was coined by Richard Saul Wurman, an architect and designer, and predicted it would become a new profession of individuals who made complex information understandable.

Twenty years later this term became widely used to denote a process of analyzing complex information, giving it structure and order, enabling audiences to glean its essence in an efficient and agreeable manner. [1]

In today's Web rings, IA means making users understand where they are, what are they doing at your site, and why they should be there. It takes the unfamiliar and makes it become the familiar.

The art and science of structuring and organizing information environments to help people achieve their goals." [2]

Lou Rosenfeld is president of Argus Associates, Inc., a consulting and design firm that takes a library and information science approach to IA. His definition covers the scope of user goals that go beyond just "helping people find information." He says IA covers many other goals such as being entertained or finding community. Rosenfeld has an MA in Library and Information Science.

IA encompasses all the design and structure from the back-end to through the content to the resulting representation necessary to create an information system useful to end-users." [3]

Vivian Bliss is a knowledge management analyst at Microsoft Library. Her definition describes the technical aspects of IA, utilizing Web applications, databases, controlled vocabularies, thesauri, and taxonomies to connect users to content through associations. Bliss has a degree in Library and Information Science.

IA is the practice of creating plans that describe the underlying organizational structure for a system of content and interactions." [4]

Steven Ritchey is a senior IA at Sapient, a mega media design and consulting firm. Ritchey describes his approach to IA as the integration of business strategy with user tasks, focusing on usage scenarios that ties a client's vision, goals, and strategy to a project. Ritchey has a MA in English.

We apply a systematic process for identifying user needs. Information architecture is a systematic, question-based process for creating communication products that help users meet their needs." [5]

Thom Haller is the founder of Info.Design, a consulting and design firm. His definition introduces the term "systematic" to the definition of IA and applies it to the iterative design processes of connecting users to their goals and promotes user participation within those processes.

The main purpose of IA is to connect user to their goals. In Web development, this means allowing the user to move from point A to point B without confusion or frustration. In designing a subway or commercial airline system, this means getting the passenger from their origin to their destination without a hitch. More...

References
[1] Flemming, Jennifer. Web Navigation: Designing the User Experience. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. 1998.

[2] "Information Architecture Practice: An Interview with Lou Rosenfeld, Argus Associates, Inc." Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science August/September 2000, p.19

[3] "Information Architecture Practice: An Interview with Vivian Bliss, Microsoft Library." Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science August/September 2000, p.7

[4] "Information Architecture Practice: An Interview with Steven Ritchey, Sapient." Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science August/September 2000, p.16

[5] Haller, Thom and Marion Summerville. Info.Design. 1999. http://www.infodn.com/index.shtml