Inventive Engineering is an emerging engineering science focused on the conceptual designing processes whereby creative, or inventive, designs are developed. Its core concepts are too often unknown and even surprising, but they are also feasible and can be learned, leading to potentially patentable designs. Inventive engineers have a tremendous competitive advantage over other engineers, because they have gone beyond practical and analytical intelligence and have learned how to be creative.

Inventive Engineering: Knowledge and Skills for Creative Engineers has its roots in engineering, psychology, history, systems engineering, political science, and computer science. It presents a body of knowledge integrated from these fields. It provides:

• Background knowledge, which will motivate and prepare readers for learning inventive engineering
• A general outline of Inventive Engineering, with an understanding of the conceptual designing process and its various stages
• Guidance on several inventive designing methods set in their cultural context to encourage students to develop practical skills for their use