AbstractThe paper reports a longitudinal study of the result of applying systematic creative problem‐solving techniques in a particular multinational firm. The first section of the paper describes the way the system was applied to the five stages of an innovation from conception to implementation. Fifteen different techniques were used, the choice varying with the stage. The paper then describes three examples of actual innovations (disguised), stage by stage, giving a judgment of the value of the techniques used, the frequency of success or failure of all the sessions undertaken, the relative success of the techniques used, and the usage of the techniques by stage of innovation.Two further points are made; firstly, creative thinking is needed and manifested at all stages of a project and not just in the early stages; secondly, although Synectics was shown to be rather effective it gradually lost ground to a less successful technique because the managers concerned did not like its seeming inconsequentiality and abandonment of logi