Creative Heuristics

Creativity in inventive problem solving usually takes place in the middle of the continuum of sheer chance and safe bet. Inventors normally use creative heuristics which provide them with promising search fields and directions for inventive problems. The paper at hand analyzes the existing frameworks of heuristic principles described in scientific literature about invention and insight, and proposes a framework of creative heuristics. Furthermore existing heuristics from invention and insight research are allocated to the principles in the framework. Thus, the proposed framework of creative heuristics can be used as a toolbox in creative or inventive problem solving and as a means to promote creativity in engineering education.