AbstractThis paper presents a continuous information based model and process that integrates traditionally separated activities of marketing/market forecasting, determining requirements, and creating first conceptual designs. The process focuses on the very early systems engineering activities and aims at establishing a link between the economic and technical world of today's product development. This link is realized by mapping characteristic design parameters on market volume and thus evaluating different design alternatives. A general process of market, requirements, and concepts is proposed. Within this paper the focus is on the initial phase of market forecasting and establishes the link to the requirements phase. Using the development of the European satellite navigation system and the German market as an example, the initial process steps are demonstrated.