Process innovations within a company are just as important as product innovations. The source of these innovations is the employees. It is essential to tap into and enhance their capacity to generate and successfully implement innovative solutions. A fundamental prerequisite for gaining an edge through innovation is that the innovation process is controlled by the company. In terms of production, the systematic approach to innovative process chain optimization (IPO) provides suitable solutions for this purpose. It was developed with the goal of enabling significant improvements in the quality, time, and resource-optimized design of manufacturing-related process chains. IPO offers not only a systematic approach but also practical methodological support. Its procedural model is based on the DMAIC cycle from Six Sigma and is complemented by an interdisciplinary approach.