Abstract: Epiphany is a critical step in the process of creative thinking. However it can only occur accidentally for want of the key heuristic information. With the development of information technology and extenics theory, how to enhance individual epiphany ability and make it a necessity have become a newlyemerging field of study. Based on the epiphany prototype heuristic theory, starting from the three stages of individual epiphany — to break the thinking set, activate prototype and acquire the critical heuristic information, the present paper tries to construct an information model and a route for creative thinking. Assisted by information technology, the paper combines the relevant theories of creatology, extenics and TRIZ, with the basicelement theory and extension transformation method as its basis. Teaching practices have proved that this approach can facilitate breaking the mental set and, to some extent, help make epiphany a certainty.

Key words: epiphany ability; Extenics; Creatology; TRIZ; coordinating methods