Skills and Skill Gaps
NOTE: In our skill gap analysis, we have computed the percentages of respondents who need a specific skill or group of skills, but don’t have it.
Fig. 10.1 Claimed skills
| Markup, e.g., HTML, XHTML, XML | 88.6% |
|---|---|
| CSS coding | 85.6% |
| Page layout, interface design | 82.2% |
| Image editing and production | 68.7% |
| Usability testing/knowledge | 61.3% |
| Graphic design | 61.0% |
| Information architecture, wireframing, sitemapping | 57.0% |
| Front-end programming, e.g., JavaScript | 56.8% |
| Back-end development, e.g., PHP, Ruby on Rails, ASP | 55.1% |
| Project management | 51.4% |
| Writing, editing | 46.9% |
| Accessibility testing/knowledge | 46.0% |
| Findability/search engine optimization/search engine marketing | 41.1% |
| Other | 10.5% |
As last year, there are significant skill gaps in both leading edge skills (accessibility testing and information architecture) as well as traditional skills (writing and project management). In comparing the 2008 results to the 2007 results, there is a curious dichotomy: the most prevalent skills have higher percentages than last year, and the skills with the largest gaps have even lower percentages than last year.
Fig. 10.2 Back-end programming skill gaps by age group
| 18 and under | 15.3% |
|---|---|
| 19-29 | 10.2% |
| 30-44 | 12.8% |
| 45-64 | 20.5% |
| 65 and over | 41.7% |
| Overall | 11.8% |
The two oldest age groups (45-64, and 65 and over) have the largest gaps (20.5% and 41.7%, although there is a very small number of 65 and over in this group). For the full sample, the overall gap is significantly less than last year (11.8% vs. 24.2%).
Fig. 10.3 Back-end programming skill gaps by gender
| Female | 32.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 9.9% |
| Overall | 11.9% |
This is a much more significant skill gap for women than men (32.8% vs. 9.9%). The gender gap as related to back-end programming is much larger than last year (2007: women 28.8%, men 23.6%), and the skill gap for women appears to be worsening.
Fig. 10.4 Back-end programming skill gaps by job title
| Art Director | 56.9% |
|---|---|
| Creative Director | 46.9% |
| Designer | 44.0% |
| Writer, Editor | 35.5% |
| Web Designer | 31.3% |
| Marketer | 28.6% |
| Interface Designer, UI Designer | 26.8% |
| Accessibility Expert/Consultant/Lead | 26.3% |
| Usability Expert/Consultant/Lead | 25.0% |
| Web Producer | 19.9% |
| Educator | 18.6% |
| Project Manager | 16.7% |
| Webmaster, Web Master | 15.6% |
| Web Director | 14.3% |
| Other | 10.3% |
| Information Architect | 8.0% |
| Developer | 3.0% |
| Overall | 11.8% |
Generally speaking, the more traditional job titles have the most pronounced skill gaps. The three largest skill gaps are for Art Director, Creative Director, and Designer. All over 40%.
Fig. 10.5 Back-end programming skill gaps by longevity in the field
| Not applicable | 21.1% |
|---|---|
| Less than a year | 19.3% |
| 1 year | 14.3% |
| 2 years | 11.9% |
| 3 years | 11.6% |
| 4 years | 9.5% |
| 5 years | 9.9% |
| 6 years | 11.3% |
| 7 years | 10.3% |
| 8 years | 11.1% |
| 9 years | 11.2% |
| 10 years (or more) | 11.7% |
| Overall | 11.8% |
For those with less than a year in the field, this skill gap is most pronounced (19.3%). As the respondents have more years in the field, the skill gap drops to a low of 9.5% at four years, then increases to 11.7% for respondents with 10 years or more in the field. This is different than last year, where greater longevity meant a consistently shrinking skill gap.
Fig. 10.6 Front-end programming skill gaps by age group
| 18 and under | 24.2% |
|---|---|
| 19-29 | 14.7% |
| 30-44 | 17.7% |
| 45-64 | 29.6% |
| 65 and over | 46.7% |
| Overall | 16.7% |
The skill gap is 24.2% for those 18 and under, shrinks to 14.7% for those 19-29, then increases with age to 46.7% for those 65 and over. For the full sample, the overall gap is less than last year (16.7% vs. 21.8%).
Fig. 10.7 Front-end programming skill gaps by gender
| Female | 32.1% |
|---|---|
| Male | 14.9% |
| Overall | 16.7% |
This is a much more significant skill gap for women than men (32.1% vs. 14.9%). The gender gap as related to front-end programming is much larger than last year (2007: women 26.2%, men 21.5%), and the skill gap for women appears to be worsening.
Fig. 10.8 Front-end programming skill gaps by job title
| Marketer | 58.5% |
|---|---|
| Designer | 40.7% |
| Art Director | 39.8% |
| Writer, Editor | 35.1% |
| Creative Director | 33.2% |
| Web Designer | 30.8% |
| Webmaster, Web Master | 30.7% |
| Accessibility Expert/Consultant/Lead | 25.0% |
| Web Producer | 22.2% |
| Project Manager | 22.0% |
| Web Director | 20.3% |
| Information Architect | 18.2% |
| Other | 15.8% |
| Interface Designer, UI Designer | 15.8% |
| Usability Expert/Consultant/Lead | 15.3% |
| Educator | 13.0% |
| Developer | 7.4% |
| Overall | 16.8% |
Again, in general, the job titles with the largest skill gaps are the traditional ones.
Fig. 10.9 Front-end programming skill gaps by longevity in the field
| Not applicable | 39.5% |
|---|---|
| Less than a year | 26.5% |
| 1 year | 23.1% |
| 2 years | 17.5% |
| 3 years | 16.1% |
| 4 years | 16.3% |
| 5 years | 14.5% |
| 6 years | 15.6% |
| 7 years | 14.9% |
| 8 years | 14.6% |
| 9 years | 13.4% |
| 10 years (or more) | 15.3% |
| Overall | 16.8% |
For the most part, this skill gap steadily decreases with longevity in the field, with a slight increase for those in the field 10 years or more.
Fig. 10.10 CSS coding skill gaps by age group
| 18 and under | 3.8% |
|---|---|
| 19-29 | 3.0% |
| 30-44 | 4.5% |
| 45-64 | 7.2% |
| 65 and over | 9.4% |
| Overall | 3.8% |
This skill gap for those 18 and under is 3.8%. It decreases for those 19-29 to 3.0%, then increases with age to a maximum of 9.4% for those 65 and over. The skill gap for the entire sample is much lower than last year (3.8% vs. 22.5%).
Fig. 10.11 CSS coding skill gaps by gender
| Female | 7.0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 3.3% |
| Overall | 3.9% |
There is a more pronounced skill gap for women: 7.0% to 3.3% for men.
Fig. 10.12 CSS coding skill gaps by job title
| Writer, Editor | 15.7% |
|---|---|
| Marketer | 12.9% |
| Information Architect | 9.4% |
| Creative Director | 9.0% |
| Art Director | 8.6% |
| Usability Expert/Consultant/Lead | 8.3% |
| Project Manager | 7.8% |
| Designer | 6.3% |
| Educator | 5.1% |
| Webmaster, Web Master | 4.3% |
| Accessibility Expert/Consultant/Lead | 4.2% |
| Other | 3.8% |
| Web Director | 3.6% |
| Developer | 3.0% |
| Web Producer | 2.8% |
| Web Designer | 2.3% |
| Interface Designer, UI Designer | 1.8% |
| Overall | 3.9% |
The two job titles with a skill gap over 10% are Writer/Editor and Marketer (15.7% and 12.9% respectively). After that, it goes from a high of 9.4% for Information Architects to a low of 1.8% for Interface Designers.
Fig. 10.13 CSS coding skill gaps by longevity in the field
| Not applicable | 9.3% |
|---|---|
| Less than a year | 8.3% |
| 1 year | 3.8% |
| 2 years | 3.6% |
| 3 years | 3.7% |
| 4 years | 3.0% |
| 5 years | 3.1% |
| 6 years | 2.5% |
| 7 years | 3.4% |
| 8 years | 3.5% |
| 9 years | 3.2% |
| 10 years (or more) | 4.2% |
| Overall | 3.9% |
The skill gap decreases from a high of 8.3% for those with less than a year in the field, to a low of 2.5% for those with six years in the field, then increases steadily again to 4.2% for those with 10 or more years in the field.
Fig. 10.14 Markup coding skill gaps by age group
| 18 and under | 3.4% |
|---|---|
| 19-29 | 2.5% |
| 30-44 | 3.2% |
| 45-64 | 4.5% |
| 65 and over | 5.7% |
| Overall | 2.9% |
The pattern is the same as other skill areas: the lowest skill gap is with the 19-29 age group, and then increases steadily with age. The overall skill gap for the full sample is 2.9%, much lower than the 18.7% from the 2007 survey.
Fig. 10.15 Markup coding skill gaps by gender
| Female | 5.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 2.6% |
| Overall | 2.9% |
There’s a more pronounced skill gap for women: 5.2% to 2.6% for men.
Fig. 10.16 Markup coding skill gaps by job title
| Art Director | 12.7% |
|---|---|
| Marketer | 10.4% |
| Writer, Editor | 9.8% |
| Usability Expert/Consultant/Lead | 8.9% |
| Creative Director | 8.1% |
| Designer | 7.1% |
| Project Manager | 6.1% |
| Information Architect | 4.8% |
| Web Director | 2.8% |
| Web Designer | 2.6% |
| Webmaster, Web Master | 2.6% |
| Other | 2.4% |
| Accessibility Expert/Consultant/Lead | 1.9% |
| Interface Designer, UI Designer | 1.8% |
| Web Producer | 1.7% |
| Developer | 1.4% |
| Educator | 1.1% |
| Overall | 3.0% |
Art Director and Marketer are the only two job titles with a skill gap over 10%.
Fig. 10.17 Markup coding skill gaps by longevity in the field
| Not applicable | 7.0% |
|---|---|
| Less than a year | 6.5% |
| 1 year | 3.3% |
| 2 years | 3.2% |
| 3 years | 2.6% |
| 4 years | 2.3% |
| 5 years | 2.7% |
| 6 years | 2.8% |
| 7 years | 2.4% |
| 8 years | 2.9% |
| 9 years | 1.7% |
| 10 years (or more) | 2.5% |
| Overall | 2.9% |
The prevalence of the skill gap shows a somewhat different pattern than the other skill areas with respect to longevity in the field. It decreases from 6.5% for those with less than a year in the field, reaches a relative low at 2.3% for people with four years in the field, then fluctuates from there, ending at 2.5% for people with 10 years or more in the field.
Discussion
Three important patterns emerged in our skill gap analysis:
- The skill gaps were significantly less than last year.
- The skill gaps are greater for women than men, and the gender disparity appears to be worsening.
- Longevity in the web design field does not correspond directly to smaller skill gaps.