ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the best time to do a design studio and how to use it to prevent usability issues and create innovative products. The possible reasons to not do the design studio: timing, no design freedom, lack of participation, fear of the unknown, money, an obvious solution, and a better method. The design studio method maximizes project's design freedom before an escalation of commitment occurs. The design studios are best done at the beginning of product development or before a new release cycle for many reasons. The software design methods fit into three categories: user and design research, user-centered design, and usability testing. Prevention-based approaches are adopted to prevent usability issues. The usability testing activities can be classified as treatment-based methods, as the primary goal is to diagnose the current state of a product before a product is released. A Master Design and Usability Plan is built to lay out a series of prevention methods.
