Rural regions often lack attractive and reliable public transport options, making private vehicles the default mode of travel for many commuters. The project Country to City Bridge (C2CBridge) addresses this gap by developing a modular vehicle and hub system to complement urban transit networks. To support this, a structured approach is needed to identify and articulate future user needs in a solution-open way.

This paper presents a four-step methodology for systematically deriving mobility needs in complex system-of-systems contexts. The process integrates strategic foresight and product development practices, beginning with a system model to define relevant influence areas. In the second step, the scenario technique is used to identify and project key factors into alternative descriptions of future mobility environments. These scenarios then guide the development of future personas that reflect diverse user perspectives. Finally, product profiles are created based on these personas, capturing the needs and benefits for providers, customers, and users alike.

The methodology was applied in the C2CBridge project through a series of co-creative workshops with consortium members. Product profiles were developed for the overall mobility system as well as for the integrated vehicles and hubs. The approach proved to be both practical and adaptable, offering structured support for need identification and valuable insights into the development of system-level solutions.