What is reverse engineering?

Reverse engineering involves deconstructing a product to understand its design and function. This process allows engineers and designers to analyze how a product works, what materials are used, and the manufacturing processes involved in its creation. The primary goal is to gain insights that can be applied to future design projects or to improve existing products. By thoroughly examining the components, systems, and operation of a product, reverse engineering can lead to enhancements in performance, cost efficiency, or innovation in new designs.

The other options present different concepts: rebuilding a product from memory focuses on recreating something without direct analysis, which does not provide the systematic understanding that reverse engineering entails. Creating a new product based on market trends relates to design innovation influenced by consumer data rather than dissecting an existing product. Validating a product through user feedback is about assessing how well a product meets the needs of users, which is distinct from the analytical process of reverse engineering.