Systematic Work Yields Better Returns on Innovation Efforts

– In a renewal and innovation effort with a systems approach, we consider technical, organisational, and cultural contexts and how they affect the work. Curiosity, learning, and gained insights are important drivers. The renewal is continuously evaluated to ensure that we are moving in the desired direction, explains Ingrid Kihlander, researcher at RISE and expert in innovation management. 

The world’s first certifiable international standard for innovation management systems, ISO 56001, was published in September 2024. Previously, the guiding standard for innovation management systems, ISO 56002:2019, has been a major source of inspiration for many in various contexts. Standards for innovation management can be described as checklists for establishing an innovation effort with a systems approach, where different parts support each other to create or redistribute value - innovations. 

– ISO 56001, ISO 56002, and other standards in this series are a collection of international knowledge on what is practically needed for systematic innovation work. Based on this, organisations or contexts can adapt and modify the content to suit their processes and needs, explains Ingrid Kihlander. 

International Standard 

Since the new requirement standard ISO 56001:2024 for leading and organising for innovation was developed in an international collaboration, involving a wide range of actors from different sectors, Ingrid Kihlander sees good opportunities for it to accelerate cooperation, learning, business, and sustainable value creation between organisations and the public sector. 

There are examples where organisations have long experience working with innovation processes, but to move forward and create results, clear support structures are also needed. This holistic view is something the standards highlight - they emphasize the importance of leadership, competence, allocated resources for innovation work, and decision-making under uncertain conditions. The fact that it comes in the format of a requirement standard can also be a finesse as it signals legitimacy and quality. We know that there are examples from public operations that, thanks to being able to refer to an ISO standard, were able to formulate a decision and implement an innovation management system, says Ingrid Kihlander, who has been one of the editors of the book Changing the Dynamics and Impact of Innovation — A Systems Approach and the ISO Standard.

Inspirers and Enablers 

However, Ingrid Kihlander points out, a standard is primarily a base to build upon in each specific context and organisation. It is important to weave together leadership, strategy, culture, processes, metrics, user insights, methods, tools, roles, responsibilities, competence, and resources, which can advantageously be done in a management system. This is where innovation leaders come into the picture. 

– We can be the ones planning or driving the various initiatives, but also coaching colleagues on how they can successfully implement innovative innovation. Innovation leaders can also be relationship builders and promote culture and psychological safety for innovation in the organisation - that is, strengthen the organisation’s innovation capability. At a strategic level, we often assist in creating innovation strategy and necessary action plans with activities that strengthen the capability, says Daniel Richardsson, certified innovation leader at RISE.  

Ensuring the Ability to Lead Innovation 

The personal certification of Innovation Management Professionals is a quality assurance of individuals based on both a role description and compiled Body of Knowledge developed by the Swedish professional association Innovationsledarna. Since 2017, has RISE, in collaboration with Innovationsledarna, offered the certification of innovation management professionals. 

 – The primary mission of innovation leaders is to support contexts and organisations in transforming intentions and ideas into something that delivers new or redistributed value - innovation. More and more people today realize the need to have one or more innovation leaders in place—experts who can ask questions like ‘How does our organisation become more innovative?’ and who can bring experiences from other organisations, offering the methods and tools needed to meet both short- and long-term challenges, as well as the waiting opportunities, says Daniel Richardsson. 

Daniel Richardsson also emphasizes that the new ISO 56001 standard can be a valuable tool in the initial phase of establishing an innovation management system. It can, for example, help create understanding among the board and management for the needs that exist, and serve as a basis for identifying the resources required. 

– The standard provides a good overview and can be used to see what is in place and what is missing. And if additional knowledge needs to be acquired, for example. But it is important to remember that it is people in teams who move insights to creative ideas and further to something valuable that people really want. Then easy-to-use methods, tools, and skilled innovation leaders are needed to realize the content of these inspiring standards in innovation management, concludes Daniel Richardsson.