Long-term learning for improved innovation capability in global project-based product development organisations (LEAP)

This project, denoted LEAP, will focus on the need for global product development organizations to gather, store and make use of knowledge which is generated in individual projects. The purpose is to develop methods which support long-term learning, continuous improvement and enhanced innovation capabilities by making local knowledge globally accessible and utilized in the organization. The project is executed in close collaboration between two universities and three companies with global project-based product development organizations. It uses an interactive research approach which is based on four overarching phases: 1) Present-state analysis of existing lessons learned-methods and routines in the product development organizations at the companies, 2) Development, implementation and test of new methods, 3) Feedback from implementation and test activities, 4) Synthesis of results. The project will generate a compiled description of methods to gather, store and make use of lessons learned. This will be scientifically validated and relevant in practice. The results will be disseminated via workshops and education efforts, national and international conferences, as well as scientific journals. This ensures dissemination to both industry and academia.