The Idea Behind How We Create Ideas

http://ideafactory.com an organization that designs non-linear processes to uncover creative solutions.
 Innovation is a non linear iterative process: It put equal emphasis on the journey of an idea and not only on the source of an idea.
 What do the Credit Card, McDonalds and Post-It Notes have in common?
 Each of these ideas has its origins more than 10 years before the successful product hit the market and they were built upon by different people over time.
http://ideafactory.com/magazine/mag_ideabehindidea.asp