Charting Innovation Readiness: the GInI Innovation Maturity Assessment Tool

In the pursuit of innovation, understanding your starting point is as crucial as knowing your destination. To make an accurate initial assessment of the innovation readiness of the organisations we work with, one of the key tools we use is the InMAT — which we are authorised to administer by the Global Innovation Institute.

This article looks at the InMAT in detail, exploring its structure, methodology, and the actionable insights it provides.

The InMAT utilises a meticulously designed framework to assess an organisation’s level of innovation maturity across eight key areas. Each area represents a critical building block of a successful and sustainable innovation ecosystem.

Within each of these eight key areas, the InMAT employs a series of targeted questions designed to go beyond a surface-level evaluation and uncover the true depth and effectiveness of the organisation’s innovation practices.

These questions follow a structured sequence, beginning with the presence and definition of resources and elements that support the innovation program. The assessment then investigates the appropriateness and relevance of these resources and elements within the organisation’s specific context, strategic goals, and desired innovation outcomes.

To understand how these elements are put into practice, the InMAT explores the organisation’s use and management of these resources and elements. Finally, the assessment examines the impact of these efforts, determining whether the use of these resources and elements is contributing to the achievement of the organisation’s intended innovation outcomes.

The InMAT assessment, conducted by Ibtechar’s team of certified GInI Authorised Innovation Assessors (AInAs), utilises a comprehensive and collaborative approach that combines document reviews, targeted interviews, and site visits. This multi-faceted approach ensures a thorough and insightful understanding of the organisation’s innovation landscape.

The assessment journey begins with a Strategy Review, examining the organisation’s business and innovation strategies to assess alignment and clarity. This is followed by an Organisational Review, which delves into organisational structures, roles, and relationships to understand how they support or hinder innovation. The assessors then conduct a Program Review, evaluating the structure, processes, resources, and documentation of the organisation’s innovation program.

To gain a practical perspective, the assessment includes Targeted Operations Reviews, observing how different departments and teams are operationally engaged in innovation activities. Finally, the assessors conduct Targeted Interviews with individuals across different levels and departments to gather diverse perspectives on the organisation’s innovation practices.

The culmination of the InMAT assessment is a comprehensive report that provides a clear and actionable picture of the organisation’s innovation maturity level. The report clearly identifies the organisation’s current maturity level as either Originator, Champion, or Leader, reflecting their current innovation capabilities.

Beyond simply assigning a label, the report provides detailed findings and observations regarding the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses across all eight areas of innovation. This detailed analysis allows for the development of targeted and actionable recommendations, tailored to the organisation’s specific context, to help them enhance their innovation maturity and achieve their strategic objectives.

By leveraging the GInI InMAT, Ibtechar empowers organisations to move beyond assumptions and gain a data-driven understanding of their innovation strengths and areas for improvement. This valuable insight serves as a roadmap for developing targeted strategies, implementing effective processes, and fostering a culture of sustainable innovation.

With Ibtechar’s expert deployment of the InMAT, organisations are equipped to begin navigating the complexities of innovation and achieve lasting success.