ISO 56001 is here!

ISO 56001, the certifiable standard for innovation management systems, has been published. It marks the culmination of more than 15 years of collaborative international standardization efforts. I have had the privilege of being part of this endeavor since the beginning. In this article, I share some of my reflections looking back, and my hopes for the future.

My motivation to embark on this journey was threefold. First, I realized how remarkably immature innovation management practices were in most organizations. There were more opinions on what innovation is than there were people in the room, no agreement on what constitutes an innovation capability, and no body of knowledge to rely on for students keen on a career in innovation management or for seasoned innovation managers tasked with boosting innovation performance.

Second, we know quite a lot about how innovation activities work and how they can be enabled, but this knowledge has yet to be codified practically. Researchers in this discipline focus on one aspect at a time. They study the role of creativity, leadership, strategy, collaboration, enabling technologies, and so on as separate entities. I have met many innovation managers who are confused and don’t know where to start. To be useful for practitioners, it all has to come together as a system of enabling factors, all interrelated and interacting.

Finally, I had this uneasy feeling that I shared with many others that we did not realize the full potential of our innovation efforts. There is no lack of challenges the world is facing. We need to innovate, renew, and transform in many areas, be it digital, green, energy, security, etc. What if we learn to innovate better in all kinds of organizations worldwide to realize more value for more people, organizations, and societies? For me, systematic innovation management is the single most critical competence that unlocks this enormous potential. I cannot think of a more worthy ambition to spend my time on.

We have made significant progress with ISO 56001. The standard provides a foundational framework and a shared language for the innovation management discipline. It outlines the key factors for innovation success with a systems approach, helps organizations understand their innovation capabilities and how to improve them, and provides the core of a body of knowledge for professionals and students. The standard is a powerful tool for creating the best possible conditions and removing barriers in an organization that wants to amplify innovation performance and create a meaningful impact that makes a difference.

When we started the work, we shared a few key priorities in the standardization team. First, the standard should be relevant to all types of organizations and innovations. Different organizations certainly innovate in different ways. However, can we find the common core of the practice that everyone can benefit from? A particular focus was to ensure that the standard could be helpful to public sector and not-for-profit organizations as well as small and medium-sized companies. We also knew that creating radical innovations differs from incremental innovations and that the system had to accommodate the full range. We have succeeded in creating an adaptable, non-prescriptive framework that can be implemented according to a specific organization's ambitions and innovation intent.

Second, we were still determining if we could find common ground among the world's different national and regional cultures. There may be many incompatible ways to innovate, making a unified framework impossible. We started to look at established research and practices. It turned out that the discipline of innovating had a common core, similar to what we find in project and quality management. Early in the standardization process, we codified these findings in eight innovation management principles that capture the universal essence of the discipline.

Finally, the innovation management system had to be compatible with other management systems that are already established in many organizations. It can be quality, environment, or information security. By using the ISO harmonized structure, the innovation standard fits right into an integrated management system. The decision to follow this structure was initially controversial, but it is the feature that differentiates this document from all other management books and consultant approaches out there.

Bringing innovation management into the domain of standardization has not been without its challenges. There has been no lack of critics. In the end, we have managed to combine the best of both camps. I am convinced that we have made a unique and much-needed contribution to the world of management systems.

With ISO 56001, we are innovating the innovation management discipline, and we are just at the beginning. We will monitor how ISO 56001 will be received and used in the next few years. As true innovators, we will capture the lessons learned, gain new knowledge, and regularly improve the standard to ensure it is updated and relevant.

We will face new challenges on this journey going forward. For example, acquiring an ISO 56001 certificate does not guarantee success. The standard can only help if the organization genuinely desires to innovate more effectively. Also, we must ensure that auditors deeply understand the nature of innovation activities. After all, the innovation culture and mindset are different from daily operations and quality control. Finally, while an international standard can provide credibility and legitimacy, it may also render a false sense of security. At the end of the day, it is the innovation performance that counts.

ISO 56001 opens up several promising opportunities. First, organizations can use it to confidently firm up their innovation efforts by identifying and closing capability gaps. I believe the management system approach also facilitates the engagement and involvement of top management. It gives senior leaders a reason and an instrument to take action.

Second, we can start developing a shared competence framework for innovation management professionals. I look forward to participating in standardization projects starting at both European and international levels. These initiatives will pave the way for a stronger profession, whether it is innovation managers in organizations or external advisors and consultants. Personal certification for these individuals is already available.

Finally, ISO 56001 can be used by policymakers and funding organizations at national, regional, and local levels as an instrument to foster innovation initiatives that promote economic and social agendas. I believe that the standard can and should play a significant role in promoting and driving societal change and transformation by ensuring everyone involved is equipped with the necessary capabilities to innovate effectively.

In short, I am optimistic about the future and proud to be part of an increasing community of innovation management professionals who want to strengthen the discipline and profession to make a meaningful impact. Innovating is not only an option; it is a responsibility.

It is an epic opportunity, and it starts now! Are you in?

Get ready for ISO 56001 innovationmanagementsystem.com

ISO 56001 - Innovation management system — Requirements