Final answer:
The statement in question is false because the design phase involves developing solutions after the problem has been identified and understood. Problem definition is the step where problems are discovered and understood, and it precedes the design phase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The design phase of decision making consists of discovering, identifying, and understanding the problems occurring in the organization' is FALSE. The design phase, particularly in engineering, is focused on developing solutions to problems that have already been identified and understood. In the design process, problems are defined in the problem definition step, where the scope and constraints of the design project are established. This step involves understanding customer needs, market positions of competitors, regulatory constraints, and available resources. The design phase comes after this critical step and involves generating, exploring, and selecting concepts that solve the problem within the identified constraints.
Criteria and constraints are established to define what solutions are viable, and then, through brainstorming and other techniques, various ideas are generated. Each idea is evaluated using a structured decision process to choose the most suitable concept for implementation. During the Explore Possibilities part of the design phase, potential designs are assessed to understand their characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses, which leads to the selection of the best design for further development.