Standards Comparison

    PRINCE2

    Voluntary
    2023

    Structured project management methodology of 7 principles, practices, processes

    VS

    ISO 56002

    Voluntary
    2019

    International guidance for innovation management systems

    Quick Verdict

    PRINCE2 delivers structured project governance via 7 principles, practices, processes for controlled delivery; ISO 56002 guides innovation systems through PDCA for value creation. Organizations adopt PRINCE2 for reliable projects, ISO 56002 for systematic innovation capability.

    Project Management

    PRINCE2

    PRINCE2 7th Edition (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Manage by exception with tolerances for board efficiency
    • Continued business justification at every stage boundary
    • Tailoring mandatory to suit project context and scale
    • Seven principles as guiding obligations for compliance
    • Staged lifecycle with seven integrated processes
    Innovation Management

    ISO 56002

    ISO 56002:2019 Innovation management system guidance

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • PDCA cycle aligned with High-Level Structure
    • Leadership commitment and policy requirements
    • End-to-end innovation process management
    • Portfolio governance and uncertainty handling
    • Tool-agnostic, adaptable across organizations

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    PRINCE2 Details

    What It Is

    PRINCE2 7th Edition (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a process-driven project management framework. It provides governance, control, and delivery mechanisms for projects of any scale. The methodology emphasizes principle-based, stage-gated execution with continuous practices.

    Key Components

    • **Three pillars7 Principles (guiding obligations), 7 Practices (business case, organizing, plans, quality, risk, issues, progress), 7 Processes (starting up to closing).
    • Built on tolerances for time, cost, quality, scope, risk, benefits, sustainability.
    • Compliance via management products like PID, registers, reports; Foundation/Practitioner certification.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Ensures continued justification and exception-based escalation for executive efficiency.
    • Delivers audit trails, risk control, and tailored scalability.
    • Builds stakeholder trust in regulated sectors like public, IT, construction.
    • Improves success via learning and product focus.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: readiness assessment, tailoring blueprint, training, pilots, rollout.
    • Applies to all sizes/industries with role-based certification; no mandatory audits.

    ISO 56002 Details

    What It Is

    ISO 56002:2019 is an international guidance standard titled Innovation management — Innovation management system — Guidance. It provides a framework for organizations to establish, implement, maintain, and improve an Innovation Management System (IMS). The primary purpose is to enable systematic value creation through innovation across all types, applicable to any organization size, sector, or innovation approach. It uses a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle and aligns with ISO's High-Level Structure (HLS).

    Key Components

    • Seven core clauses: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
    • Eight principles: value realization, leadership, strategic direction, culture, portfolio thinking, uncertainty management, learning, stakeholder engagement.
    • Non-prescriptive; no fixed controls, focuses on governance and processes.
    • Conformity via self-assessment or third-party audits; pairs with ISO 56001 for certification.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Drives strategic innovation alignment, portfolio governance, risk management.
    • Enhances competitiveness, reduces 'innovation theater', builds stakeholder trust.
    • Integrates with ISO 9001, 27001 for efficiency.
    • Voluntary, but boosts resilience, growth, partnerships.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: awareness, gap analysis, design, pilot, scale, sustain.
    • Involves leadership commitment, policy, KPIs, audits.
    • Suited for established organizations; adaptable for SMEs.
    • No mandatory certification; external assurance optional.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    PRINCE2
    Project governance, processes, principles
    ISO 56002
    Innovation management system, PDCA cycle

    Industry

    PRINCE2
    All sectors, public/private worldwide
    ISO 56002
    All organizations, sectors, sizes globally

    Nature

    PRINCE2
    Project management methodology, voluntary
    ISO 56002
    Guidance standard, non-certifiable

    Testing

    PRINCE2
    Stage boundaries, exception reports
    ISO 56002
    Internal audits, management reviews

    Penalties

    PRINCE2
    No legal penalties, certification loss
    ISO 56002
    No penalties, voluntary conformance

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about PRINCE2 and ISO 56002

    PRINCE2 FAQ

    ISO 56002 FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages