Question

Sheila has a degree in robotics and she loves to design products. She started her career in ‘Robotech’ which uses high end technology in all their products. Her job profile included travelling a lot also. Whenever she travelled she noticed that disabled people have difficulty in maneuvering their wheelchair from one place to another because in some places ramp is not provided and there is no way they can walk up the stairs. She came up with an idea of a wheelchair which can be used on stairs easily. She decided to quit her job and start her own company. She realized that her idea was the first stage in the process of innovation. Identify the concept and explain the steps in its process.

Answer 1

Creativity The creative process: 

The process of creativity involves five steps: 

1. Idea germination, 

2. Preparation, 

3. Incubation, 

4. Illumination and, 

5. Verification. 

1. Idea germination: This is the seeding stage of a new idea. It is the stage where the entrepreneur recognises that an opportunity exists. The idea germination takes place according to interest, curiosity of the entrepreneur according to which opportunity is explored and exploited to its best potential. Creative idea germinates besides the interest, the need of a specific problem or area of study. 

2. Preparation: On the basis of the idea, interest and curiosity the need is adjudged by the entrepreneur and he starts looking for the answer to implement the idea. If the idea is to launch a new product or service then market research is conducted. That happens because the seed of curiosity has taken the form of an idea. The entrepreneurs foresee the future of the product. 

3. Incubation: This is the subconscious assimilation of information. This is the transition period. The entrepreneur starts thinking about the idea and implementation in his/her sub-conscious mind. 

4. Verification: Also called the validation or testing stage. This is where the idea is verified to prove that it has value. This is the most difficult phase of creativity as obstacles begin to appear. This is the developing stage in which knowledge is developed into application. 

5. Innovation: It is the process of entrepreneurship which involves the translation of a useful idea into an application which has commercial value. It takes persistent efforts to analytically work out the details of the enterprise or service, to develop marketing strategies to organize finances and strategize operations.