Guilford’s Phases in the Creative Process
1.Preparation “Acquiring skills, background infonnation, resources, sensing and defining a problem”
2.Concentration “Focusing intensely on the problem to the exclusion of other demands - a trial and error phase that includes false starts and frustration”
3.Incubation “Withdrawing from the
problem; sorting, integrating, clarifying at an unconscious level; often includes reverie, relaxation, solitude”
4.Illumination “The Aha! stage, often sudden, involving the emergence of an image, idea, or perspective that suggests a solution or direction for further work”
5.Verification,
Elaboration “Testing out the idea,
evaluating, developing,
implementing, convincing
others of the worth of the idea”
Source: Adapted from (Libby 1984)