While many like to think of creativity as a mysterious process, researchers generally agree that there are clear principles at work, such as a lucid formulation of the problem, knowledge and practice in a particular field, crossing domains and persistence.
I previously summarized these principles in formulating a creative process in a post about creative intelligence:
Forming intent: Every creative act starts with a purpose. Whether it is a marketer trying to solve for a particular business objective, a designer working with a specific brief or an artist looking to express a distinct idea or emotion. It is through forming intent that we establish the constraints under which creativity thrives