Innovation Certification

The Innovation Certification is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests innovation management skills for professionals in any organisation — innovation concepts and types, discovering opportunities with design thinking, experimentation and validating ideas, and innovation strategy, portfolio and culture — written to the OECD Oslo Manual 2018, ISO 56002 (and the certifiable ISO 56001:2024 innovation management system), Stanford d.school methods and Nielsen Norman Group design thinking guidance for 2026. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable Innovation Proficiency certificate (SOA-IY). Every question is based on published standards and research — including ISO 56002:2019 Innovation management – Innovation management system – Guidance (ISO), Design Thinking 101 (Nielsen Norman Group), Oslo Manual 2018: Guidelines for collecting, reporting and using data on innovation (4th edition) (OECD / Eurostat) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Innovation Certification, updated for 2026 and 2027. It measures innovation concepts and types, discovering opportunities and design thinking, experimentation and validation and strategy, portfolio and culture and gives instant results with a shareable certificate.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Innovation Proficiency certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: ISO 56002:2019 Innovation management – Innovation management system – Guidance (ISO); Design Thinking 101 (Nielsen Norman Group); Oslo Manual 2018: Guidelines for collecting, reporting and using data on innovation (4th edition) (OECD / Eurostat); d.school resources and design thinking methods (Stanford d.school). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Innovation Concepts and Types (Definitions, Types and Diffusion); Discovering Opportunities and Design Thinking (Empathy, Framing and Ideation); Experimentation and Validation (Assumptions, MVPs and Metrics); Strategy, Portfolio and Culture (Portfolio, Governance and Culture). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Innovation manager or lead, Product manager, Strategy or transformation consultant, Entrepreneur or intrapreneur and R&D or new business development manager. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Innovation knowledge in 2026 and 2027, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

The OECD Oslo Manual defines an innovation as a new or improved product or process (or a combination) that differs significantly from previous ones and has been made available to users or brought into use. Ideas that are never used or launched are not yet innovations.

Yes. ISO 56002 gives guidance on an innovation management system, and ISO 56001:2024 sets certifiable requirements, covering context, leadership, strategy, processes, resources and performance evaluation for innovation.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.