Survey reveals the truth of the web business
Posted 1 November 2007 at 8:27AM by Simon Dickson in IT systems and support
A List Apart is a website for people who make websites. Started as a mailing list in 1997, it styles itself as a 'magazine', with articles on the 'design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on web standards and best practices.' It's pretty much must-read stuff if you're in the industry. So when it runs a survey of its readership, you can expect the response to be both comprehensive and illuminating.
Based on over 33,000 responses, its first annual (?) Web Design Survey reveals, apparently for the first time, the demographics of the web development business. Some of the findings won't come as a surprise - the generally young age, a clear male bias in virtually all areas, the high likelihood of having a personal website or blog. But there are some great factoids: how many other industries can claim that 78% of those working in it are 'frequently' or 'very frequently excited' by it? Is it a good or bad thing that barely half had received any formal training?
Inevitably, it's the salary questions which are most likely to stir your curiosity. Six per cent of respondents were earning more than $100,000, with 1.3% topping $150,000. Those in the top salary bracket were most likely to call themselves 'information architects', followed by 'creative/art directors', and 'usability experts'. Time to reprint those business cards, folks?
Tags: a list apart, job descriptions, salary, web
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