Typically the titles used on the technical latter are distinct for each rung, as was the salary grade. The title for each salary grade is distinct so that a clear progression path is visible to the employee. Salary grades are established by HR consulting research such as Mercer and/or Hewitt, etc. and vary regionally based on the market. For the most senior technical staff the most frequently used title was “Fellow”, see “The Most Senior Technical Ladder Job Title” figure.