The New Studio

What The New Studio does

The New Studio is a privately held boutique consulting firm founded in 1983 and headquartered in Newtonville, Massachusetts, by Alyce Kaprow and David Backer, PhD. It provides consulting services spanning cross-media publishing strategies, interactive new media design, user interface design and evaluation, market research and analysis, and training/workshops, serving both developers and end-users of computer-based products and services. Its service mix includes strategic planning, design, and development of interactive products (including stand-alone software packages and Web-based applications), requirements analysis, specifications writing, prototyping, implementation, usability testing, technology evaluation, custom market research, and training delivery.

The firm's client base has historically included enterprise buyers across diverse verticals: technology (AT&T New Media Services, Digital Equipment Corporation, Polaroid, Delrina/Symantec), publishing (Thomson Publishing), healthcare (Massachusetts Medical Society, Exergen), insurance (Aetna), photography (Eastman Kodak, Agfa), education (Brandeis Graduate School), financial services (Fidelity Investments of Canada), and marketing (Hill-Holliday). Co-founder David Backer, identified as one of the first three PhD graduates from the MIT Media Laboratory, also serves as CTO, anchoring the firm's expertise in early interactive media and human-computer interaction research.

The business operates on a quote-based, project-engagement consulting model with a horizontal go-to-market approach and no formal distribution channels, channel partners, or external investors. The firm is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with two principals running operations, and holds a Massachusetts service mark (#55231). Public digital presence has not been substantively refreshed since approximately 2008, indicating a mature, stable consultancy rather than a scaling enterprise.

Name

The New Studio

Legal name

the new studio

Website

http://www.newstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The New Studio focuses on media design, UI design, training, technology consulting and market research services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newtonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

The New Studio is a consulting firm that provides interactive media design, user interface design, training, technology consulting, and market research services. Its four core service areas cover strategic planning and development of interactive software and web-based applications, usability-focused interface design and evaluation, custom training and workshops on interactive media applications and web development, and technology evaluation plus custom market research to support client business strategies.

Product overview

The New Studio is a consulting firm (established 1983) offering four core service areas: Interactive Media Design (strategic planning, design, and development of software and Web applications), User Interface Design and Evaluation (usability-focused interface design and testing), Training and Workshops (custom training on products and technologies), and Technology Consulting and Market Research (technology evaluation and business strategy advice). Their portfolio also includes Interactive Software Design and Illustration and Collage services. The company serves developers and end-users of computer-based products and services, providing consulting on cross-media publishing strategies, interactive new media design, market research, and training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Media Design Strategic planning, design, and development of interactive products including stand-alone software packages and web-based applications, covering requirements analysis, specifications writing, prototyping, implementation, and usability testing. For corporate developers and end-users of computer-based products and services.
• User Interface Design and Evaluation Designing clear, usable interfaces by understanding user needs and organizing information to support easy navigation, along with evaluating usability of existing interfaces and recommending improvements. For organizations seeking to improve the usability of their digital products and websites.
• Training and Workshops Planning, developing, and delivering training on products and technologies, including defining learning objectives, developing instructional materials, and presenting classes on designing interactive media applications, web development, and graphic arts techniques. For corporate clients building internal capability in interactive media.
• Technology Consulting and Market Research Investigating and evaluating products and services to advise clients on new technologies or products for business strategy development, including custom market research and reporting. For organizations making technology investment or product strategy decisions.

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: Globally recognized design consultancy offering strategic design, UI/UX, and innovation services to enterprise clients. Directly comparable to The New Studio in service mix (interactive media design, UI evaluation, training), though IDEO operates at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Frog Design: Design and engineering consultancy specializing in product design, brand experiences, and digital transformation. Overlaps with The New Studio on interactive design, usability, and technology consulting, and serves a similar enterprise client base.
• Cooper: Product design consultancy focused on UX strategy, interaction design, and design research. Directly comparable to The New Studio's UI design and evaluation offering, with similar emphasis on usability testing and user-centered design methodologies.
• Smart Design: Independent design consultancy providing product design, UX, and brand strategy services. Comparable to The New Studio in offering interactive media design and strategic consulting to enterprise clients across industries.
• Adaptive Path: User experience consultancy (acquired by Capital One) specializing in UX strategy, research, and design. Directly comparable in core service focus on interaction design, usability, and digital product strategy.
• Punchcut: Interaction design and UX consultancy focused on connected devices, software, and service experiences. Closely aligned with The New Studio's heritage in interactive media design and UI evaluation.
• Nielsen Norman Group: UX research and consulting firm offering usability, user research, and design training services. Directly comparable in UX training/workshop delivery and usability evaluation focus, though NN/g is far larger and more specialized in research methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Huge: Digital experience agency offering UX, technology, and marketing services to enterprise brands. Broader and larger than The New Studio but overlaps in interactive media design and user interface consulting.
• Razorfish: Large digital agency offering experience design, technology, and media services. Adjacent peer that competes for similar enterprise engagements but with substantially broader capabilities and scale than The New Studio.
• R/GA: Global experience design agency with digital product, brand, and technology capabilities. Comparable in client base and interactive design work, though R/GA operates at enterprise scale beyond The New Studio's boutique footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The New Studio