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This paper is concerned with examining and recognizing aesthetics in an Information System (an organization incorporating both humans and information technology). Information Systems designers need to consider the aesthetics of their systems. To do this, they need some conception of what aesthetics is and is not. This paper constructs such a concept. IS designers must avoid thinking of a specific system component such as a graphical user interface as defining the aesthetic dimension of their work. Aesthetics emerge from the wholeness of things, not from specific parts or components. As such, aesthetics may naturally be considered in "systems", and we propose that an effective manner of thinking of aesthetics is in terms of "themes". We also argue that one must consider not only aesthetics that may be perceived by the senses (a passive dimension), but also aesthetics that may be conceived in the mind (an active dimension). We also consider the important differences between "definitions" (passive dimension) and "themes" (active dimension). Finally, the study of aesthetics in IS has greater implications than simply recognizing and appreciating beauty and art. The very human capacity for recognizing and appreciating beauty and art, the active aesthetic dimension, is also the same capacity for effective creativity and happiness. It follows that if an information system encouraged and provided the enabling circumstances for the human capacity of thematic recognition (as found in the human appreciation of art and beauty) it thereby also provides the grounds for effective creative and visionary organizational management.

Electronic commerce (e-Commerce) has exploded on the Internet over the past few years and is expected to continue growing at an exponential rate (Kannan, Chang and Whinston, 1998; Fellenstein and Wood, 2000). According to the GVU’s 8th WWW User Surveys (1997), the most important issues facing online users are privacy (31%), censorship (24%) and navigation (17%). Since user interface design directly impacts navigation and affects the user’s interaction with a Web site, this chapter will explore a number of different factors that affect user interface design on the World Wide Web. In all there are six factors that we explore in this chapter. They are the user’s mental model as newly defined and focused upon perception and conception (Haynes and Mahfouz, 2001), the level of expertise of the user, the user’s learning style, the richness of the media used, the organizational image and message, and the user’s intentions. All these factors involve internal (to the Web page design) and external (to the user’s environment) implications that impact user interface design on the Internet. Since all factors are external with the exception of the richness of the media used and, to some extent, the organizational image and message, it follows that we have chosen to emphasize in this chapter the external factors, namely those factors that directly relate to the user.