1. Executive Summary The term Livecycle (often spelled Lifecycle ) describes the series of stages a product, system, service, or living organism passes through from inception to end-of-life. This report focuses on the three most common applications: Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) in business, System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) in software, and Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) in environmental science. Understanding lifecycles enables organizations to optimize performance, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact. 2. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) In business and manufacturing, the product lifecycle consists of four to six stages:

| Stage | Description | Key Activities | |-------|-------------|----------------| | | Product launch | Market research, low sales, high promotion costs | | Growth | Increasing adoption | Scale production, improve features, expand distribution | | Maturity | Peak sales, stable market | Cost reduction, differentiation, loyalty programs | | Decline | Falling demand | Phase-out, discounting, or repositioning |