November 8, 2007 – World Usability Day

World Usability Day 2007 will take place on November 8th with this year’s focus on healthcare. Started in 2005, the event is aimed at making “the services and products important to human life easier to access and simpler to use.”

The goals for 2007 include growing the number, size and types of the events worldwide. This includes: adding more events that not only provide education about usability, but work to effect change by taking the message to the average citizen, offering additional webcasting features that enable World Usability Day to be even more accessible and increasing the volunteers, supporters and sponsors for the event. In order to accomplish this, we need more event leaders and volunteers as part of the World Usability Day team.

Some issues that will be addressed are: new technologies, drug research, emergency disaster planning, functionality of hospitals, and much more.

To learn more and find information on how you can become involved, visit the World Usability Day website at http://www.worldusabilityday.org/.

Tribune Co. shows no love to smokers

The Tribune Co. plans to begin charging its staff smokers additional fees for healthcare coverage. The company plans to assess options in the upcoming year, stating that the proposed fees are needed to offset the rising cost for healthcare across the U.S. In addition to the ‘smoker fee,’ Tribune Co. also has plans to collect on spousal coverage.

From the Editor & Publisher article “Tribune Co. ‘Smoker’ Fee — and Spousal Surcharge — Draw Union Fire”:

Specifically, the assessment would require Tribune employees who smoke or have a family member covered under their policy who smokes to pay an additional $100 per month. In addition, Tribune employees who place a spouse under Tribune coverage who could be covered under their own employment plan elsewhere will be assessed another $75 per month fee.