The Republic of Estonia Social Insurance Board has completed its first proactive service and starting from today, parents are able to apply for family allowances without an application, in a self-service manner. The Insurance Board pays 44 million euros in family allowances and parental benefits to 156,000 and 19,000 people, respectively.

In October, Estonian Social Insurance Board opened its online service bureau where people can administer their services and benefits. Initially, people have been given the opportunity to use an application-free family allowance service (receiving childbirth allowance, parental benefits and child allowance). This information system is special for its proactive services.

Imagine how frustrating it is to land on a website you can’t use. That’s what over 57 million people experience every day when visiting websites that seem to have decent enough user interface and user experience. Mari-Ell Mets is one of the web accessibility experts in Estonia and we asked her why we should invest in website accessibility and what it is in the first place. Mari-Ell Mets is one of the accessibility experts in Estonia. 

Going to UX conferences abroad takes time and money and not everyone can afford it. At the same time, it is important to educate oneself with new knowledge, methods and crafts and also to get inspiration of cool things people are working on in different countries. World Usability Day Estonia is a conference that does that all: gives the opportunity to learn, network and get together as a community.

Did you know that the price of the products you are buying influences the part of your brain that feels pain? Next time you go out to buy a new mobile phone you may analyse yourself—what does it feel like when you are looking at the cheaper phones on the lowest shelf and how does it feel to hold the newest and most expensive device in the store?

Some people think that a website needs to be beautiful or trendy. Imagine that you are the owner of an online store, for example. Do you want a customer to come to your online store and think "Oh, how beautiful!" Admire a little and then go again? Or do you want him to purchase so that it won't be a hassle and he'll come to your store sometimes?