This paper presents a study that was conducted of the devel- opment process of an initiative that used podcasts (i.e., digital audio-files) to supplement lectures in higher education. A thorough data gathering was conducted using the iterative cycles of the action research approach. The empirical data was analyzed and this analysis resulted in a framework that shows how sustainability and scalability are linked. The framework also shows how an initiative is developed from Idea, to Trial, to Project, to Release, and how each of these stages can be described using four areas of concern, namely, Technology, Learning, Social, and Or- ganization. Using the experience from a specific mobile learning initiative to define a framework that is then used to conceptualize the development process is a way to bring together practice, theory, and research, and thus provide reliable evidence for the framework itself. The framework captures the development process and the relevant context in a unified theoretical attempt and is suitable for practitioners dealing with initiatives in the field of mobile learning.