First, some basic concepts.

a)We can measure creativity by observing number of ideas produced, their novelty and diversity and frequency of production. This allows us to gauge which of two methods indicated above, produces more output. Using it, we can say for example, whether a structured approach with incremental deadlines and goals yields more of a screenplay than a “do your best approach.” Graham Green, famous English writer, insisted that his success was due to writing, without fail, 500 words a day. Similar examples of incremental goal setting, experience of people who regularly have to generate ideas (e.g. creatives in advertising) and experimentation reveal that incremental deadlines do indeed help us complete that screenplay much faster.

b)Creative output versus applied creative output. Creative output is enhanced to some degree by unstructured and random thinking. This is essence of lateral thinking, where ideas are generated for i) sake of generating them, ii) without direction, iii) without evaluation, iv) using random stimuli to open up pathways and so forth. However, applied creativity results from i) use of frameworks that relate to problem and ii) critical thinking – reducing idea pool to feasible ideas. In effect there are three stages, first creative thinking which is a combination of lateral and logical idea generation and second, critical thinking.

c)Structures and formal processes trigger a problem finding and resolving attitude and induce goal state. This establishes boundaries, consistency, focuses creative energy and is a major source of motivation. It is commonly noted that people seem to be creative when constrained to some degree.

d)Prolific output. Structures such as incremental goals force output and lead to prolific production, which increases likelihood of quality. It can be declared with great certainty that quality positively correlates with quantity. The single best creative product appears at that point in career when creator is being most prolific.

e)Incubation. Incremental goals can be short and longer term. Short-term goals increase output. Longer terms goals allow problems to incubate at various cognitive levels and lead to richer insights.

a)Creativity is often triggered by need to solve a problem. People who generate good ideas tend to clearly identify problem through a tangible process. They will look at a problem from various perspectives, create multiple definitions of it and ask many others to contribute to precise nature and basic qualities of problem as they see it.

b)Problems require intense investigation. People who generate good ideas intensely investigate problem using various knowledge bases and information sources. This allows frame breaking, reduces path dependency and parochialism and allows intellectual cross-pollination that gets people thinking in new directions.

c)Forced productivity. People who come up with good ideas force themselves to produce ideas without evaluating those ideas. They will separate creative from critical thinking and simply bash out ideas using a variety of techniques. Common methods involve linking to diverse objects and concepts, vertical and lateral thinking techniques. They will regularly maximise size and quality of their idea pool. This patterns mind into seeking answers and triggers cognitive activity at multiple levels.

d)Seek stimuli. People who think of good ideas seek out stimuli from novel, diverse and numerous sources. The range of stimuli is infinite and this tends to suit people who have or benefit from a life long interest and curiosity in many subjects.