Final answer:
A wireless site survey is crucial in planning and designing new WLANs for optimal performance, security, and compliance. This involves location assessment for access points and network configuration to meet security standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of planning and designing new WLANs for optimal performance, security, and compliance most closely involves a wireless site survey. This task encompasses assessing a proposed site for a new wireless network, including the identification of where to place access points for best coverage and performance. A wireless site survey also helps determine how to configure the networks to ensure security and compliance with relevant regulations. Options such as penetration testing and vulnerability scanning are also important but are typically performed after the network is initially set up, or for ongoing security assessments. On the other hand, end user awareness and training is more about educating users on security best practices rather than the initial design of the WLAN.