The correct answer is C. Both people’s physical bodies and their psychological capabilities. In innovation management and design-related topics covered by Global Innovation Institute, design research is used to ensure that innovations fit the realities of human use. This means understanding not only what people say they want, but also how they actually behave, perceive, decide, and interact with products, services, and systems.
Design research examines human factors in a practical and structured way. It considers physical aspects such as ergonomics, usability, movement, accessibility, and sensory interaction. At the same time, it considers psychological dimensions such as cognition, perception, attention, memory, emotion, and decision-making. By understanding both the physical and psychological dimensions of users, innovation teams can design offerings that are functional, intuitive, and meaningful.
The other options are either too narrow, too exaggerated, or not aligned with the core purpose of design research. Design research is not mainly about extreme expectations or abstract aspirations alone. Its purpose is to ground innovation in real human needs and capabilities so that the resulting solutions are both useful and usable in real-world contexts.
