How to develop a creative mind:
1. Travel to new places.
2. Read from a variety of fields.
3. Become curious about everything.
4. Attend professional meetings and seminars.
5. Join professional groups and associations.
6. Talk to anyone and everyone about your subject.
7. Develop a subject library for future reference.
8. Carry a small notebook and record useful information.
9. Scan magazines, newspapers and journals for articles related to your subject.
10. Evaluate ideas. Record what aspects of ideas are good and what aspects appear irrelevant or are not feasible because of constraints.
(Source: Apptility Innovation blog here.)