Socrates - I agree that the PM is the hub, but often the PM is client focussed and usability is not always the forefront. I don't agree that IA is design only. IA reaches in to database design and data modelling for efficiency reasons. IA learns how the users want and can use the data/information, this puts the IA not only in the database realm by the application/coding/programming realm. It is more than design. I come at this from a business analyst/developer and communication theory/efficiency studies and not the design world. Granted design helps greatly, but design can also get in the way too. IA can help bring to light the need for better metadata, but also know that XML may or may not be the answer that will help. The IA know how the flow of information through the process works, from how it is stored in a database, to what is the best tool for pulling it into a application/program for computation, and how it is best displayed. All this is based with the focus on the user. The PMs focus is often on the client and what they would like to have produced and what a budget is, the client may demand JSP, but not need it and the user has to wade through some of the latency issues that can come from that approach. The converse is true also. If an organization already has a lot of Enterprise Java Bean built and in use, that can easily be leverage to build a better experience for the user, but the cost may be higher than developing in PHP, Perl or some other scripting language that is quick and dirty, but will get the job done for the short term.