Categorization of Creative Processes Based on Case Study

Abstract

In order to develop a practical educational program for
creativity, we have reviewed previous researches on this subject.
We had a hypothetical conclusion that a creation is defined as
production of a new information element and the new
information element is produced by the combination of two
already known information elements. In this study the equation
of creation is given as A*B=N, where A and B are known
elements and N is the new element produced. A number of
creation cases in various fields such as business, design and
science have been analyzed using the equation of creation to
A,B,N,K, where K is another element describing the clue of
creative process in the creator’s mind. For most cases A, B, N,
K were able to be easily identified. We have examined the
relationship among these elements and found that these cases
can be classified into 3 types depending on the relationship
between K and the other elements. These are (1) K=A type, (2)
K=N type and (3) K≠A, N type. This classification is named
K-type classification. Another categorization named
combination type is based on the relation between A and B.
Over 400 creative cases have been analyzed using the equation
of creation and the combination types listed in the following
have been obtained up to now. These categorization is expected
to be useful for developing the education program for creativity.
These are
(1) Logic type,
(2) Introduction type,
(3) Imitation type,
(4) Experience type,
(5) Knowledge type,
(6) Custom type,
(7) Parameter-change type,
(8) Experiment type,
(9)Size-change type,
(10)Concentration type,
(11)Extension type,
(12)Use-development type,
(13)Exchange type,
(14)Substitution type,
(15)Anti-commonsense type,
(16)Combination-in-one-genre type,
(17)Combination-in-different-genres type,
(18)Functional-addition type,
(19)Functional-combination type,
(20)Unification type,
(21)Association type,
(22)Functional-application type,
(23)Correlation type,
(24)Correlation type,
(25)Sensitivity type and
(26)By-chance type.