This document provides guidance for the definition, implementation, evaluation, and improvement of the measurements necessary to effectively manage innovation activities in an organization. It establishes the fundamentals of innovation operation measurements and guides their application towards four areas:

—     measurements for establishing and launching innovation initiatives;

—     measurements for innovation processes;

—     measurements for innovation initiatives;

—     measurements of innovation portfolios.

This document is applicable to:

—     organizations that are seeking to define and implement an innovation operations measurement approach;

—     organizations and interested parties seeking to improve the areas of accountability, transparency, and evidence-based assessment of innovation operations;

—     customers, investors, and other interested parties, seeking confidence in the organization’s innovation operations management and its results;

—     providers of training in innovation operations and measurements, including assessment of and consultancy for achieving results;

—     experts in innovation operations evaluation and impact assessment, favoring the use of a harmonized international guidance standard;

—     innovation policy makers and program managers who are looking to obtain evidence of progress and desired outcomes of innovation activities supported through public policies and programs.

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

—     all types of organizations regardless of sector or size, whether they be private, public, not-for-profit, governmental or societal;

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

—     all types of time horizons, from short-term to long-term evaluation and measurement.