What are the initial phases in the design process?

The initial phases in the design process are focused on understanding user needs, defining the problem to be solved, and laying the groundwork for the design solutions that will follow. Research involves gathering insights about users, their behaviors, and the context in which they'll interact with the product. This phase may include user interviews, surveys, and observation to collect qualitative and quantitative data.

Once this data is collected, the Define phase synthesizes this research into clear problem statements or user personas. This helps frame the design challenges and sets the stage for ideation and solution development. Together, Research and Define are critical as they ensure that the design decisions made later in the process are grounded in actual user needs and insights. This foundation leads to design solutions that are more likely to resonate with users and fulfill their requirements effectively.

The other options represent later stages or more specific parts of the design process rather than the initial phases. For instance, building and testing, while essential, occur after the foundational research and definition stages.