An innovation management system (IMS) is the set of policies, processes, roles, governance and metrics that an organisation uses to manage innovation as a deliberate, ongoing activity. It is the operating system beneath individual projects — the reason innovation keeps happening after the launch event is over. We design and embed innovation management systems aligned to ISO 56002 guidance and ISO 56001 requirements.
The building blocks of an IMS
Innovation policy & intent
A stated ambition and the leadership commitment that funds and protects it.
Idea-to-impact process
Clear stages and decision gates from insight, through concept and validation, to scale.
Portfolio governance
How ideas are prioritised, resourced, reviewed and stopped — with named owners.
Roles & structure
Who sponsors, who decides, who delivers, and how innovation connects to the core business.
Support & resources
Funding mechanisms, tools, skills and the time people need to do the work.
Measurement & learning
Metrics and review rhythms that show what is working and feed continual improvement.
Right-sized, not bureaucratic
The fastest way to kill innovation is to wrap it in heavy process. A good innovation management system is the lightest structure that still produces reliable results. For a smaller organisation that might be a one-page process and a monthly portfolio review; for a large group it might be a full stage-gate with dedicated governance. We design to your scale and appetite, then mature the system as it earns trust.
How an IMS connects to ISO 56001
ISO 56002 describes what a good innovation management system looks like; ISO 56001 sets the requirements you can be certified against. Building an IMS is therefore the practical route to certification readiness. Even if certification is not your goal, designing your innovation around these internationally recognised principles means you are not reinventing the wheel — you are adopting a proven structure.
See your starting point. The InnoPulse assessment maps your current capability against the same pillars an IMS is built on.
Run the assessmentSigns your organisation needs a managed system
- Good ideas stall because no one owns the decision to advance or stop them
- Innovation depends on one or two champions and falls apart when they move on
- There is plenty of activity but little visible value reaching the market
- Leadership cannot see the innovation portfolio or its expected returns
- Every project reinvents its own process from scratch
Ready to make innovation repeatable?
Book a call to scope an innovation management system that fits how your organisation works.
Design your innovation systemFrequently asked questions
What is an innovation management system in simple terms?
It is the agreed way your organisation turns ideas into value — the process, roles, governance and measurement that make innovation a managed activity rather than a series of one-off efforts.
Is an IMS only for big companies?
No. The principles are the same at any size; only the formality changes. Smaller organisations benefit from a lightweight system that prevents good ideas from being lost.
Does an IMS slow innovation down?
A well-designed system speeds the right things up by removing ambiguity about decisions and ownership, and slows down only the commitments that deserve scrutiny. The goal is clarity, not bureaucracy.
How does this relate to ISO 56001 and ISO 56002?
ISO 56002 is guidance for building an IMS; ISO 56001 is the certifiable requirements standard. We design systems aligned to both so you are ready for certification if and when you want it.
Last updated: 23 June 2026