Over the last year, we’ve gotten the sense that usability and user-centred design has really gone mainstream. Clients may not be able to describe it, but they know they want something that actually works, and that actually focuses on what their visitors want, not what their bosses think looks cool.

An article in yesterday’s NY Times points to the same conclusion, and they say it’s a good field to be working in:

“Enter the usability professional, whose work has recently developed into a solid career track, driven mostly by advancements in technology…In some cases, usability research has become very sophisticated, relying on equipment like eye-tracking software to analyze precisely what users are looking at on a computer screen. But in most cases, Dr. Redish said, the work relies on solid observation and interview skills.”

Time to ask for a raise!

In 2005, the average salary was $86,000, and they went as high as $120,000! The article says that “usability position are receiving more visibility within companies, and high-ranking positions like director of usability are being created”. We certainly haven’t seen this in any companies we’ve been working with, but here’s hoping that’s the direction we’ll be moving.