The SOCRATES PIO project was realised in three phases:

• Phase 1: user research;Phase 
• 2: co-creation of the DXP MVP;Phase 
• 3: testing, validation and consultancy (for future use of algorithms and DXP user experience).

The first phase, the user research, was conducted as part of IPSOS' (broader) 'City of Antwerp - Culture and Socrates' market study commissioned by Digipolis (through the City of Antwerp framework contract and with PIO co-funding). The user research, included (1) an analysis of cultural data sources, (2) a user research on cultural experience, (3) a legal research on the use of personal data (privacy, GDPR impact), and (4) a conceptual exercise to delineate the next phase (cocreation of the DXP-MVP).