And the “testing in the real world” is a best practice, and indeed the only real sphere in which to really get the users needs nailed down for example by allowing user innovation.

But you´re right, there´s a lot of crappy stuff out there, but what is the real reason for this? I don´t agree with a generalisation of Designers Backlash. Instead I see the issue as being the time and space invested in the development process. You know how it goes, the “get it launched and then fix the bugs” attitude.

Good topic for a spoolcast?

I don’t have specific numbers, but finding resistance or disdain for usability practice is not hard to find. One symptom is top-tier designers don’t see a need for it.

For example, over at 37 Signals, Jason Fried is quite blunt when asked if they did usability testing on their Backpack product:

We don’t conduct usability tests. We build what we think works best and then release the product. The usability testing happens in the real world with the real product. We listen to the customer base and make adjustments if we feel they are necessary.

That’s funny. Turns out that’s what all the people who put out crappy interfaces think they do too.

More and more visible people from the design community spend their time talking about how “usability people don’t get it.”