1.1 This document provides guidance for the establishment, implementation, maintenance, and continual improvement of an innovation management system for use in all established organizations. It is applicable to:

a) organizations seeking sustained success by developing and demonstrating their ability to effectively manage innovation activities to achieve the intended outcomes;

b) users, customers, and other interested parties, seeking confidence in the innovation capabilities of an organization;

c) organizations and interested parties seeking to improve communication through a common understanding of what constitutes an innovation management system;

d) providers of training in, assessment of, or consultancy for, innovation management and innovation management systems;

e) policy makers, aiming for higher effectiveness of support programs targeting the innovation capabilities and competitiveness of organizations and the development of society.

1.2 All the guidance within this document is generic and intended to be applicable to:

a) all types of organizations, regardless of type, sector, or size. The focus is on established organizations, with the understanding that both temporary organizations and start-ups can also benefit by applying these guidelines in all or in part;

b) all types of innovations, e.g. product, service, process, model, and method, ranging from incremental to radical;

c) all types of approaches, e.g. internal and open innovation, user-, market-, technology-, and design-driven innovation activities.

It does not describe detailed activities within the organization, but rather provides guidance at a general level. It does not prescribe any requirements or specific tools or methods for innovation activities.