A Systematic Approach for Continuous Monitoring and Validation of Product Properties in the Product Engineering Process

The alignment of product properties with evolving customer needs and market conditions is essential for ensuring long-term competitiveness. However, due to long development cycles, initial product specifications often become misaligned with actual market demands. To address this challenge, a systematic support for continuous monitoring and validation of product properties throughout the product engineering process (PEP) is required. This paper presents a structured approach to integrate strategic foresight into the PEP, enabling a proactive response to environmental changes. The research follows the Design Research Methodology (DRM), comprising three key phases: (1) an initial descriptive study to define requirements through expert interviews and workshops, (2) a prescriptive study to develop and refine the monitoring approach, including a novel evaluation metric, and (3) a second descriptive study to validate the approach using a case study. The proposed approach introduces a portfolio-based assessment framework that systematically evaluates indicators for product adjustments. The approach's applicability is shown in a case study for identifying shifts in customer needs and validating product specifications accordingly. The results indicate that integrating continuous monitoring with strategic foresight enhances adaptability and reduces the risk of late-stage design changes. Future research will focus on refining the approach by integrating automated data-driven insights and expanding its application to various industries.