The case study, spanning three contexts, concerns a multi-usable cloud service platform for big data collection and analytics and how the development pace and efficiency of it has been improved by 50–75% by using the Arrowhead framework and changing development processes/practices. Furthermore, additional results captured during the case study are related to technology, competencies and skills, organization, management, infrastructure, and service and support. A conclusion is that when offering a complex offer such as an Industrial Product-Service System, comprising sensors, hardware, communications, software, cloud service platform, etc., it is necessary that the technology, business model, business setup, and organization all go hand in hand during the development and later operation, as all ‘components’ are required for a successful result.

The development process for a Functional Product (FP) is complex and there is a need to share information as well as to communicate it among the parties involved in the process. The paper concerns shared information that is of specific interest when developing FPs, in contrast to information that must be shared during a general product or service development process. The findings are compiled in a conceptual table comprising such specific information items pertaining to both the initial development as well as post development parts of an FP's lifecycle. This table can be used as an aid to any development process or method, as it points out information items that must necessarily be shared, but not how they to be shared.

The paper proposes a Functional Products (FP) lifecycle viewed from economic, ecologic and societal perspectives. The overall FP lifecycle is further discussed from the viewpoint of its technical and economic lifecycles. The paper suggests that the overall FP lifecycle is governed by a sustainable win-win situation between the provider and customer sides, and thus that there needs to be a balance regarding the perceived value for both parties

The paper provides a further verification of the Functional Products (FP) technical lifecycle and additional details regarding its four sub-lifecycles concerning: hardware, software, service-support system and management of operation. Outlined, in a novel way, is how the four sub-lifecycles may be embodied in order to manage and keep the FP technical lifecycle running at an agreed-upon level of availability. The FP technical lifecycle is further analyzed from the viewpoint of its supporting role to the FP economic lifecycle, as well as compliance, regulatory and commercial aspects.

The paper addresses the potential use of cloud services in Functional Products (FP) and its possible implications for availability. Further, how the implications for availability can be understood via modelling and simulation is addressed. The paper adds further specificity to literature by indicating the FP constituents for which cloud services are applicable and adequate