I know what you’re thinking: Can small changes really make a difference? The short answer: Absolutely. Because, as the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day—and neither will your innovation management system." I’m pretty sure that second part isn’t in the original quote, but you get the idea.
Innovation is tough. Really tough. And even harder to get right.
You don’t just flip a switch and suddenly have a world-class innovation program. It takes time, commitment, and discipline. The good news? If your organization is already doing innovation, you’re in a solid starting position. The key is to move from broad, high-level initiatives to a structured, systems approach.
Not all at once, though. Think small but steady improvements. Try adding one meaningful process today. Test it. Tweak it. Then make it part of your standard way of working—or better yet, your way of innovating.
Why does this matter?
Because our 2025 State of Corporate Innovation Report reveals a glaring problem: 87% of organizations struggle to turn ideas into actual business results. That’s a massive gap. Innovation is supposed to drive outcomes, yet most organizations fail to make that happen. Idea management? No problem. Moving those ideas through to execution? That’s where things break down.
So, what’s going wrong?
Lack of strategy? Lack of resources? Lack of coffee? All of the above?
One thing is clear: organizations are much better at brainstorming than executing. According to our report, developing and validating ideas aren’t the problem—but when it comes to deploying solutions? That’s where innovation efforts hit a wall, making it the most challenging stage in the process.
The issue isn’t creating ideas—it’s realizing them. And no, it’s not because the ideas are bad. In fact, generating quality ideas was cited as one of the least significant obstacles. Even prioritizing and managing large volumes of ideas weren’t major blockers.
Instead, here’s what’s really holding innovation back—and what you can do about it.
Problem #1: A Fuzzy Scope
Organizations put a lot of effort into fostering engagement:
- 71% work to understand stakeholder needs.
- 65% promote an innovation-friendly culture.
- 60% manage collaboration.
These are great signs! But when it comes to defining what exactly their innovation system is supposed to achieve, the numbers drop off:
- Only 44% clearly define their innovation system’s scope and intent.
- Just 35% ensure continuous improvement of their system.
This means a lot of organizations are engaged in innovation—but without clear boundaries, focus areas, or a system for making lasting improvements.
Solution #1: Define Your Innovation System with Clarity and Purpose
The ISO 56000 Standard for Innovation Management Systems emphasizes that a well-structured innovation management system needs clear scope, intent, and alignment with business goals. Start by:
- Clearly defining where innovation should focus—process improvements? New business models? Disruptive technology?
- Establishing clear boundaries and governance—who owns what, and how does innovation connect to strategic objectives?
- Setting up a structured system for continuous improvement, ensuring that innovation practices evolve over time.
When your innovation efforts have direction, they become easier to execute, track, and scale.
Problem #2: Weak Planning & Adaptability
Most organizations do some level of planning:
- 61% create structured plans that account for risks and opportunities.
- 51% define their innovation objectives.
But many struggle with flexibility:
- Only 44% regularly adjust their innovation portfolios and strategies to reflect changing market conditions.
- Just 34% say they have adaptable structures in place to support innovation over time.
Translation? Companies are setting innovation goals, but not revisiting them enough to ensure they stay relevant.
"Innovation isn’t static, and your approach shouldn’t be either."
Solution #2: Plan Smarter—Then Keep Adjusting
Innovation isn’t static, and your approach shouldn’t be either. The ISO 56000 framework stresses the importance of adaptability and continuous evaluation.
To stay ahead:
- Regularly assess and adjust your innovation portfolio—are you still focused on the right opportunities?
- Build agile structures and processes that can pivot as business needs change.
- Ensure leadership, resources, and incentives are aligned with your innovation goals—without them, even the best plans will stall.
Being adaptable means innovation isn’t just a one-time initiative—it becomes part of how your company operates.
Problem #3: Not Enough Performance Evaluation
Measuring success is essential. The good news?
- 75% of organizations monitor and track performance using some kind of innovation indicators.
The bad news?
- Only 39% evaluate their system’s overall effectiveness—including leadership support, strategy, and process efficiency.
- Even fewer conduct regular internal audits or structured reviews of their innovation management system.
That’s a big miss. If you’re not tracking how well your innovation system itself is working, how do you know if you’re improving?
Solution #3: Make Performance Evaluation a Habit
ISO 56000 stresses the importance of regular analysis—not just of innovation projects, but of the entire system that supports them.
"Innovation success isn’t just about outcomes—it’s about repeatability."
Here’s how to make sure you’re tracking the right things:
- Evaluate not just ideas, but processes—how well is your innovation pipeline moving ideas forward?
- Assess leadership involvement and organizational commitment—do key stakeholders actively support innovation?
- Review how insights are shared and applied—is knowledge from past projects helping future initiatives?
Innovation success isn’t just about outcomes—it’s about repeatability. Strong evaluation practices ensure you’re learning, improving, and building sustainable innovation capabilities over time.
Final Thoughts
More comprehensive leadership support and resource allocation remain major challenges, but as the ‘system architect,’ you have the power to strengthen your innovation system with small, intentional changes starting today.
Like Rome, a mature innovation system isn’t built overnight—but by making incremental improvements, you can lay a solid foundation.
And the best part? The more structured and successful your approach becomes, the easier it is to demonstrate real commitment—which, in turn, attracts greater leadership buy-in and resources over time.
It’s a slow build—but one that leads to lasting impact.
Speaking of lasting impact, check out How to Build a Lasting Innovation Management System with ISO 56001 by Colin Nelson, our Chief Consultant, and discover how the leading innovation management framework can help you build the right structure, foster collaboration, and drive adaptability to turn ideas into real results.
