Creativity Process

Creative process may be divided into the following steps:-

•    Problem sensing – the individual selects a problem to work on or becomes aware that a problem or disturbance existing eg I am getting bogged down by this monthly report isn’t there a better way of doing this?

•    Immersion:- the individual concentrates on the problem and becomes immersed in it, recalling and collecting information that seems relevant and dreaming up hypothesis without evaluating them.

•    Incubation: during the incubation stage, the mind is not consciously focused on the problem. After assembling the available information the individual relaxes and lets his subconscience go through the material. In this little understood but crucial step, the individual often appears to be idle, day dreaming or asleep but his subconscience is infact trying to arrange the facts into a new pattern.

•    Insight: this is the discovery stage often when least expected i.e. while eating, falling asleep or walking the new integrative idea will flash into the individuals mind. Such inspirations must be recorded quickly because the conscious mind may forget them in the course of other activities.

•    Verification: the individual then sets out to prove by logic or experiment that the idea can solve the problem and can be implemented.

Stimulating creativity and innovation

The following methods are used to stimulate creativity and innovation in organizations:-

•    Brainstorming
•    Nominal group process
•    Synectics – (Gordon’s Technique)
•    Retroduction