In the design thinking process, which phases primarily facilitate either convergent or divergent thinking, and how can teams effectively leverage these modes of thinking to drive innovation?

a$.$ During the "Empathize" phase, teams engage in divergent thinking to gather a wide range of $-$ insights and perspectives from end$-$users, fostering empathy and understanding. Subsequently, in the "Define" phase, teams converge on specific user needs and pain points to define the design challenge more precisely.

b$.$ Convergent thinking is prominent in the "Test" phase, where teams analyze user feedback and data to refine and improve prototypes based on specific criteria and goals. In contrast, divergent thinking reemerges in the subsequent "iterate" phase, as teams explore alternative solutions and iterate based on further insights.

c$.$ Throughout the entire design thinking process, a blend of convergent and divergent thinking is essential. Each phase incorporates elements of both modes of thinking, with convergent thinking providing focus and direction while divergent thinking encourages exploration and creativity.

d$.$ The "Ideate" phase is where divergent thinking predominates, as teams generate a multitude of creative solutions to address the defined problem statement. Following this, in the "Prototype" phase, teams converge on selected ideas to create tangible representations for testing and iteration.