A journalist and an information architect face exactly the same problem - how to give shape to the pile of information in front of you in a way that will make it easy and natural for people to comprehend. I can't imagine any better preparation for the work I do now.

Content is often the reason users come to your site.

Ajax is an important development for Web applications, and its importance is only going to grow.

Google is making a huge investment in developing the Ajax approach.

User-centered design means understanding what your users need, how they think, and how they behave - and incorporating that understanding into every aspect of your process.

Problems with visual design can turn users off so quickly that they never discover all the smart choices you made with navigation or interaction design.

I'm not sure that you can say definitively that some roles are better filled by consultants, but I would say that some projects are better handled by consultants.