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.