What role do Panels play in a design application?

Panels play a crucial role in design applications by helping users monitor and modify their work. These panels are typically used to display information about various aspects of a project, such as color settings, layer management, effects, and properties of selected objects. By providing real-time feedback and adjustable settings, panels enhance the efficiency of the design process, allowing designers to make changes easily and see the effects immediately.

This functionality is essential for creating high-quality designs, as it enables designers to fine-tune their work and maintain control over the various elements involved in the design process. The other options, while they represent different functionalities, do not encompass the full range of capabilities that panels offer in a design context.