Coming from a tech background, I grew up with standards. Without them, the odds that a bolt and nut fit are basically nonexistent. Standards create common understanding so specialists can focus on what they do best. Making bolts is very different from making nuts, yet standards allow both to work together and create value in global supply chains. Just think about container shipping: without standard containers, worldwide logistics would collapse overnight.

The funny thing is that the first time I encountered management standards, it felt very different. ISO 9001 for quality management struck me as rigid and paperwork heavy. And when I later heard there was a standard for innovation management, I was honestly flabbergasted. How could anyone imagine standardising creativity, the beating heart of innovation?

My first reaction to the ISO 56000 family was that there was nothing new in it. It seemed full of statements that felt obvious to experienced innovators. Now, looking back, that reaction says more about my own experience than about the standards themselves.

Standards do not kill creativity, they create space for it to thrive.

Standards are not there to teach experts what they already know. They codify good practices so organisations can avoid reinventing the wheel. When seen through that lens, the innovation management standards make complete sense. They describe the systemic elements needed to evolve from ad hoc innovation to a structured innovation management system that still leaves plenty of room for creativity, exploration and strategic alignment.

And this matters. Investing significant resources in ideas that take your organisation in the wrong direction is a frustrating and costly experience. It is like boarding a plane from Brussels to Cape Town while hoping to land in Oslo.

What Innovation Management Standards Actually Capture

Innovation needs structure, not chaos.

One slide I saw recently summed it up perfectly:

• A world without standards is chaotic and inefficient
• Innovation has been misunderstood for decades and reduced to R&D or lab work
• The real challenge is building an innovation system, not chasing isolated tasks

Imagine a world where every team interprets innovation differently. Some treat it as brainstorming, others as tech development, and some as marketing creativity. Without shared innovation standards or a common language, collaboration becomes guesswork. Standards provide clarity, reduce friction and make innovation efforts more effective and more enjoyable.

Without standards, collaboration becomes guesswork.

The Standards Guide the What, Not the How

ISO 56000 describes the what of innovation management systems,
the how remains yours.

The real eye opener came when I started reading the standards more deeply and interacting with members of the ISO TC279 committee. The standards are explicit about why innovation matters and what needs to be in place. Yet they intentionally leave the how open.

This is crucial. It means the standards do not kill creativity. They give you a recipe, yet you remain the chef. They give you a music score, yet interpretation remains in your hands. Think of brass band versions of piano compositions or the kitchen trend of deconstructing classic desserts.

And speaking of dessert, the Pavlova might be one of the best illustrations.

My Pavlova Variations as a Metaphor for Tailored Innovation Systems

Innovation systems are recipes with endless room for interpretation.

The Pavlova has a beautifully standardised foundation. Crisp exterior, soft interior, light enough to carry almost any flavour. Reliable, structured and predictable. This base recipe is your ISO standard for innovation.

Once you have the base, the creativity begins. Picture it for a moment: the same dessert, the same structure, yet every version can look and taste completely different.

Over the years I have created several variations on that recipe. Sometimes I go for the classic fresh fruit topping. Other times I experiment with twists like roasted plums, citrus curd or even a nutty praline crunch. Each interpretation starts from the same structural foundation, yet every version has its own flavour, mood and personality.

Innovation management works exactly the same way. The standard provides a stable platform so teams and stakeholders speak the same language. From there each organisation can add its own flavour based on culture, maturity, strategy and ambition.

Structure supports creativity, it never replaces it.

If you want faster progress with fewer detours, a good foundation will get you there. 

Just google for a Pavlova recipe and look at the many variations that will pop up, as a reminder that innovation systems are not meant to restrict you. They are meant to give you a foundation you can make your own.

Why Standards Accelerate, Not Slow Down, Innovation

Clarity and creativity are the real power couple in innovation.

Many leaders worry that innovation slows down when too much structure is added. The opposite is true. When you create a shared language, clear processes and aligned objectives, teams spend less time firefighting and far more time creating value.

Just imagine the relief when fewer misunderstandings surface, the atmosphere becomes lighter and collaboration feels natural again. Teams feel more connected and tensions fade. Standards bring emotional ease by reducing ambiguity and reducing unnecessary conflict.

This is especially important when multiple stakeholders are involved. Miscommunication, hidden assumptions and mismatched expectations kill collaboration faster than bad ideas. Innovation management standards provide the scaffolding that makes joint innovation smoother, faster and more reliable.

A good foundation accelerates innovation rather than slowing it down.

Standards do not limit innovation. They limit chaotic improvisation that drains time, money and energy. And when organisations learn to work within a shared framework, their innovation success rate increases significantly. Stronger alignment leads to stronger proposals, better decisions and more impactful collaborations. That is where real growth begins.

Nothing accelerates innovation more than clarity combined with creativity.

If you want to explore how these standards could shape your own innovation approach, feel free to reach out. I am happy to share more insights or examples.