Organization of Information in Information Architecture:

Andrew Dillon (2002) defines information architecture as "the term used to describe the process of designing, implementing and evaluating information spaces that are humanly and socially acceptable to their intended stakeholders (p. 822). He says he purposely leaves the definition ‘open so that we cover the organizational, blueprinting, and experience aspects, and allow for IA roles to cover these aspects (Dillon, p.822). Information architects don't agree that information architecture is a new approach to the organization of informaiton.

Louis Rosenfield and Peter Morville (1998) identified the following as the job of information architecture:

• Clarifies the mission and vision for the site, balancing the needs of its sponsoring organization and the needs of its audiences.
  
• Determines what content and functionality the site will contain.
  
• Specifies how users will find information in the site by defining its organization, navigation, labeling, and searching systems
  
• Maps out how the site will accommodate change and growth over time (p. 24).
  

By 2002, the situation had evolved enough that Rosenfield and Morville expanded their explanation to say that the process of information architecture must go through the following phases: research, strategy, design, implementation, and administration (Rosenfield & Morville, p. 26). The strategy and design phases require an understanding of the theories involved in the organization of information.