All aspects of everything we do, whether creative or not, involve process. Thought involves process. Emptying a dishwasher involves process. Innovation involves process. Eating a chocolate bar involves process. Going to the moon involves process.
Not eating a chocolate bar, to the extent we do it with thought, involves process.
Creativity involves process – always.
On a micro scale: our bodies are laced with processes – electrical, chemical, and mechanical. On a macro scale: the methods that put men on the moon were complicated processes.
Creativity and innovation are results of combinations of processes our bodies perform. That applies at the micro level and at the macro level.
I think that's an important point for a number of reasons.
If creativity happens without process then processes do not influence creativity. In addition, anyone who believes he or she can teach or learn creativity is a wrong-thinker.
Clearly, there is much evidence to confirm creativity involves processes and in the absence of processes there can be no creativity. The same applies to innovation, (which is part of a process that starts with curiosity and creativity). Perhaps the strongest proof of this is the fact that the human body relies upon electricity to exist. Without micro electrical processes our brains and bodies would cease to function let alone be creative. From that micro level, moving from inside to outside, we can see much evidence that creativity relies on other processes. As one next-step-out example, we must eat to fuel the electrical processes that energize our bodies and our brains. As an example of another-step-out, our brain cells rely on blood flow. Without blood flow our brain cells quickly die…taking our ability to think creatively with them. So, our brain processes rely on our heart processes.
As another step out toward macro – the neurons in our brains operate under processes. (see for example, Ray Kurzweil's recent book 'How to Create a Mind') These neuronal processes are (at least) guided by our DNA. DNA is all about process. (see Richard Dawkins' recent book 'The Magic of Reality')
Our senses deliver perceptions to our brains and our brains house that information…for future use. Human beings learn through a process of perceiving, storing, recognizing patterns, retrieving, etc. And, creativity relies on all those processes.
Here's a different view about creativity vis-à-vis right and wrong: creativity is not about right and wrong. If it can be summed up in one word, creativity is about 'new'. People have different perceptions…because people are different.
When people perceive and think the same way and accept a situation, there is little ability to experience creativity. When people perceive and think different ways and accept a situation, creativity has a much easier time presenting itself. When people judge others as wrong, the likelihood of creativity arising or evolving into invention or innovation drops. When people accept others as being different and are OK not judging the differences as right or wrong, minds tend to be more open to new ideas…and creativity, invention, and innovation have an opportunity to flourish.