The organization should plan (P), implement (D), and control (C) innovation initiatives (8.2), processes (4.4; 8.3), structures (6.3), and support (7) needed (4.2) to address innovation opportunities (6.1), meet requirements (7.5), and to implement (D) the actions determined in 6.2, by:

a) establishing (P) criteria for innovation initiatives (8.2) and processes (8.3);

b) implementing control (C) of the innovation initiatives (8.2) and processes (8.3) in accordance with the criteria (7.5);

c) keeping (D) documented information (7.5) to the extent necessary to have confidence that the innovation initiatives (8.2) and processes (8.3) have been carried out as planned (6).

The organization should control (C) planned changes and review (C) (9.3) the consequences (6.1) of unintended changes, taking action to prevent or mitigate (6.1) any adverse effects (10.2), as necessary.

The organization should ensure that outsourced (4.3) and collaborative (7.6) innovation initiatives (8.2) and processes (8.3) are controlled (C).

Operational planning (6) can require a different approach to control, especially regarding creative and experimentation activities, incorporating a higher degree of freedom and flexibility to manage uncertainty (6.1). This approach can be different from other established management control practices.

An innovation initiative (8.2) is a set of coordinated activities (4.4), formal (7.5) or informal, and can be an innovation project (8), an innovation program (8), or any other kind of approach. An initiative (8.2) can be proposed by anyone (4.2; 7.1.2) in the organization and is characterized by having a starting and an ending point (7.1.3). The organization can establish one or more processes (4.4; 8) to manage these initiatives (8.2).

8.2.1 The organization should manage (P-D-C-A) each innovation initiative, considering to:

a) establish (P), and continuously (7.1.3; 10.3) review (C), the scope (4.3) of the initiative, including the objectives (6.2), constraints (6.1), expected results (6.2), and deliverables (9);

b) determine (P) indicators (9) and how to apply them in order to evaluate (C) (9.1.2) and improve (A) (10) the initiative;

c) establish (P) the management (5.1) and decision-making structures (6.3), e.g. steering or reference groups (7.1.2);

d) ensure (D) appropriate leadership (5) and the necessary structures (6.3) and support (7), including resources (7.1);

e) secure (D) and retain (A) the people (7.1.2) with the right competencies (7.2) and experiences (7.2), and build the team (7.1.2);

f) establish (P) the necessary roles, responsibilities, and authorities (5.3), including people (7.1.2) for managing and coaching (5.3);

g) identify (D) and establish (P) the necessary internal (4.1.3) and external (4.1.2) collaboration (7.6);

h) establish (P) and implement (D) the appropriate innovation processes (8.3);

i) ensure the protection (D) of intellectual property (7.8) and other critical assets (7.1.5);

j) consider (P) internal (4.1.3) and external (4.1.2) requirements (7.5) and the risk (6.1) of not complying (10.2) with legal and regulatory requirements (4.1; 7.5), including social responsibility (4.4.2) issues (10.2)

k) continuously (7.1.3; 10.3) capture (D) lessons learned (7.1.4; 7.5), to gain new knowledge (7.1.4) and perspectives;

l) leverage (D) failures (10.2) as opportunities (6.1) for the organization to learn (7.2).

8.2.2 The organization should determine (P) how to implement each innovation initiative by using a single approach or a combination of different approaches, such as:

a) an internal (4.1.3) approach in one unit (6.3) or across several internal (4.1.3) units (6.3);

b) crowdsourcing (4.2) across an organization, in a permanent or temporary (7.1.3) arrangement (7.5);

c) collaborative (4.2; 7.6), in e.g. partnerships, alliances, joint ventures (7.6), public programs, ecosystems (4.1), and other clusters of organizations;

d) outsourced (4.3), fully or partly;

e) acquisition (7.1.5), full merger (7.6) or partial investments (7.1.5);

f) divestiture, full or partial spin-off (7.6).

The approach can be re-considered during the processes (4.4; 8).

The organization should configure (D) the innovation processes to suit the innovation initiative (8.2).

The innovation processes can be flexible and adaptable, and form different configurations, depending on, e.g. the types of innovations (8) and the circumstances (4.1) of the organization. They can:

a) form a fast (7.1.3) track of selected processes (4.4; 8);

b) have a non-linear sequence (7.1.3);

c) be iterative;

d) be implemented within, or independently from, other processes (4.4; 8) in the organization;

e) be connected to other processes (4.4; 8) in the organization.

The creative and experimentation processes (4.4; 8) focus on exploration to gain knowledge (7.1.4) and can require resilience and flexibility.

The innovation processes (4.4; 8) can interact and interrelate with other processes (4.4; 8) in the organization. e.g. research, product development, marketing (4.2), sales (7.1.5), partnering (7.6), mergers and acquisitions (7.1.5; 7.6), collaboration (7.6), and intellectual property (7.8).