The Basadur Creative Problem Solving Profile describes a basic, continuous four-stage process of applied creativity:

1. Generating: discovering good problems to solve and opportunities to explore
2. Conceptualizing: defining those problems
3. Optimizing: developing new solutions
4. Implementing: putting the solutions into action

In practice, these four stages can be divided into a process with eight smaller steps, called the Simplex Applied Creativity Process, which works as follows. Generating ideas for new products, services and methods must start somewhere. Individuals inclined toward generating suggest possible opportunities for change and improvement (Step 1: Problem Finding) based on their continually scanning the environment, picking up data and cues (Step 2: Fact Finding) from customers, suppliers and others. The generator stage is thus the point where new information and possibilities are raised, usually not fully developed, but in the form of starting points for new projects.

People who tend to have dominant conceptualizer styles lead the pulling together of the facts and idea fragments from the generator phase into well-defined, insightful problems and challenges (Step 3: Problem Definition), and more clearly developed ideas and projects worth further evaluation (Step 4: Idea Finding). Good conceptualizers give sound structure to fledgling ideas and opportunities.

People with optimization inclinations usually lead in taking these well-defined ideas and finding a practical best solution (Step 5: Evaluation and Selection) and detailing efficient plans for proceeding (Step 6: Action Planning).

Finally, those individuals who enjoy the implementation phase of innovation will lead in carrying forward the practical solutions and plans to implement them. This includes convincing colleagues, customers and others of the worth of the changes (Step 7: Gaining Acceptance), and adapting the solutions and plans to make them fit real-life situations and conditions (Step 8: Action).

Thus, each of the four Profile stages in the creative process is characterized by two activities:

1. Generating: Problem finding and fact finding
2. Conceptualizing: Problem definition and idea finding
3. Optimizing: Evaluation and selection and action planning
4. Implementing: Gaining acceptance and action