What is the focus of the Define stage in Design Thinking?

The Define stage in Design Thinking is critical for synthesizing the information gathered during the Empathize phase. At this point, practitioners aim to articulate the user needs and problems clearly and concisely. This involves analyzing qualitative data obtained from user interviews, surveys, and observations to identify key insights and patterns. By stating these needs and problems, the team can maintain a clear focus on the user’s perspective throughout the remainder of the design process.

This stage sets the foundation for generating ideas in the Ideate phase, ensuring that the solutions developed are closely aligned with the actual challenges faced by users. By defining user needs and problems effectively, teams can avoid assumptions and ensure that they are addressing real issues rather than hypothetical scenarios.

The other options, while related to different stages in the Design Thinking process, do not correctly represent the primary focus of the Define stage. Researching user demographics is typically done earlier in the Empathize phase, while creating prototypes occurs in the Ideate phase. Evaluating solutions aligns more closely with later stages, such as prototyping and testing solutions against user needs.