What discipline investigates the properties and means of processing information for optimal accessibility and usability?

The correct choice focuses on information science, which is the discipline specifically concerned with the properties of information and the methods for processing it to enhance accessibility and usability. It encompasses a wide range of activities related to the organization, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of information. Information scientists investigate how users interact with information, the best practices for managing data, and how to design systems that are effective and user-friendly.

This field blends technology with human factors, studying not only how to collect and store information but also how individuals can best access and utilize that information based on their needs. By emphasizing user experience and the efficient flow of information, information science plays a critical role in making data available in a way that is intuitive and useful.

Other fields like information technology and computer science, while related, often focus more on the technical aspects of systems and software rather than the broader context of information use and management. Data analytics leans more towards interpreting and analyzing data rather than understanding the properties of information and how to make it accessible and usable to end users.