ISO 56000 – Why is an Innovation Management Standard Needed?

Publication: June 16, 2024
Author: Reinhard Willfort
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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.

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The key components of the ISO 56002 standard, by Hakan Ozan

Die gesamte ISO 56000 besteht aber aus zahlreichen Dokumenten und Spezialisierungen:

  • ISO 56000: Innovation Management – Fundamentals and Vocabulary
  • ISO 56001: Innovation Management System – Requirements
  • ISO 56002: Innovation Management System – Guidance
  • ISO 56003: Tools and Methods for Innovation Partnerships
  • ISO 56004: Innovation Management – Assessment – Guidance
  • ISO 56005: Management of Intellectual Property – Guidance
  • ISO 56006: Strategic Information Management – Guidance
  • ISO 56007: Management of Ideas and Opportunities – Guidance
  • ISO 56008: Innovation Operation Measurements – Guidance
  • ISO 56010: Innovation Management – Practical Examples and Case Studies – Guidance
  • 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.

What benefits could certification of innovation management bring?

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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