Online Newspapers begin to show Way Forward

Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, has set an agenda for online newspapers that will focus attention on their usability and commerciality.

He warned publishers who view websites as mere sidelines for their print editions that they are ignoring the next generation of readers. He told the annual convention of the Newspaper Association of America that Microsoft is developing new software to make articles as easy to read on the screen as in a newspaper. The intention is to reproduce the experience of reading a newspaper, but with added features, he said.

Newspapers might deliver information and services like video messaging and bill payment, he suggested.

Meanwhile, Slate, the online magazine backed by Microsoft, produced its first ever profit in the first quarter of this year.

While the paid-for online newspaper Wall Street Journal Online was the leading online news service for March, beating the New York Times website. Research, by Nielsen//NetRatings, showed that the "Iraq in Transition" section was one of the most heavily viewed areas of the site. A recently launched email service is also considered a factor in how it attracted the most news traffic. The site has 675,000 subscribers, making it the largest paid-subscription site on the web.

All change at the top for System Concepts
Source: System Concepts Ltd, 3 July 2009
 
Leslie Fountain has been promoted to joint Managing Director of leading usability consultancy System Concepts.

Life in UCD immortalised in fiction: you couldn't make it up
Source: UN, 2 July 2009
 
Sarah Herman's fictitious book on life in a user-centred design company has hit the shelves and The Guardian's book pages...

Interfaces Magazine - Issue 79: The Education Issue
Source: Interaction Group, 1 July 2009
 
The latest issue of Interfaces is now available as a free download from the Interaction Website.

Two new Behavioural research Tools from Noldus
Source: UN, 30 June 2009
 
Tool updates make on-site behavioural data collection easier.

Cell Phones that Listen and Learn
Source: MIT Technology Review, 29 June 2009
 
New software tracks a user's behavior by monitoring everyday sounds.

Top Six Don’ts for Usability Testing
Source: FutureNow Inc., 27 June 2009
 
Six tips for creating quality usability tests to ensure useful feedback from testers.

Usability: ‘Lovely software. But I can’t work it’
Source: FT.com, 26 June 2009
 
In a recent survey by Global Graphics, 77 per cent of office workers estimate they lose up to one hour a week because business software is difficult to use.

And what do you do?
Source: Dexo Design, 25 June 2009
 
How do you describe your job role? Here are the results of a recent 'Preferred UX/UI Title' Poll.

Most Doctors cite Usability as critical to Electronic Health Record Adoption
Source: TMCNet, 24 June 2009
 
It's all about 'meaningful use'.

Glossy monitors look good but can hurt
Source: QUT, 23 June 2009
 
A new advisory cites research which suggests high gloss monitors make users sit awkwardly.