Open innovation - when a flash of inspiration strikes from outside!
Reinhard Willfort
November 17, 2024
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Since 2013, the ISO/TC 279 Technical Committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has been working on standards in the field of innovation management. I have been observing this development with a degree of skepticism since the initial publication. Is it really possible to implement and certify a management discipline designed to bring new things into the world in a manner similar to an ISO 9001 quality management standard?
The first essential publication from this committee was released in July 2019 under the designation ISO 56002. This standard serves as a guide for establishing an innovation management system and includes elements from quality management standards, such as the PDCA cycle. Various authors have examined the standard and discussed its advantages and disadvantages. A major critique of the 2019 version is its linear representation and process logic, as illustrated in the following infographic.
Work in progress: A new version of ISO 56000 should already be available and can currently be purchased as a draft (I am still waiting for the final version). The most interesting updates and developments of the standard, in my view, are ISO 56001, ISO 56007, and ISO 56008. All three documents have not yet been published and are still in progress. These specifications aim to enable the certification of innovation management systems, including idea management and effectiveness measurement.
Many companies still have not implemented a systematic innovation management process. In my previous discussions in the Let’s Innovate Together newsletter, I highlighted the difficulties and challenges involved. As the pace of change continues to increase, innovation management will soon be on the management agenda for all companies and organizations.
ISO 56000 has the potential to bring more trust and confidence to top management decision-making in establishing effective innovation management. It is to be hoped that the standard allows enough flexibility for individual interpretation of the various focuses within innovation management.
I look forward to your feedback and wish you a restful and creative Sunday!
Reinhard Willfort, Innovation Doctor, www.willfort.at
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