Information architects work in a niche very close to that of the graphic designer, web designer, user-experience designer, front-end developer, and usability expert (I’ve written an article about considering all of the above as careers). Indeed, all of these occupations share a common theme: user-centered design (See Jessie James Garrett’s pdf on the related elements of User Experience). Over time, the duties of these professions have become distinct. While the graphic/web designer specializes in brilliant use of color, typography, texture, etc. to convey a message, the Information Architect looks at the architecture of the site from a more objective position. She might ask: what is the flow of users through our site? How does the software help the user catalog their information? How is that presented back to the user? Is that information helping the customer (ie: decision driving)?

To do this, the information architect must focus on a number of things: the target audience, the technologies related to the website, the data that will be presented through the website, and (hopefully) the results of early usability tests regarding the site ideas.