Towards re-use of knowledge in the concept stage of development

A framework for specifying the intended result of a product development project is introduced in the paper. This framework has been developed for the concept stage and facilitates the establishment and re-use of acquired knowledge. In this way, core capabilities naturally grow stronger with each development project, and are exploited in a way that enables a company to do things its competitors cannot. Implementation of the framework within Colorproofing Systems – an organization developing and manufacturing industrial printing systems – improved the learning capabilities of the firm.