  In order to solve today's complex problems in the world of software
development, technical knowledge is no longer enough. Previous studies
investigating and identifying non-technical skills of software engineers show
that creative skills also play an important role in tackling difficult
problems. However, creativity is typically a very vague concept to which
everyone gives their own interpretation. Also, there is little research that
focuses specifically on creativity in the field of software engineering. To
better understand the role of creativity in this field, we conducted four focus
groups, inviting 33 experts from four nationally and internationally renowned
companies in total. This resulted in 399 minutes of transcripts, further coded
into 39 sub-themes grouped into seven categories: technical knowledge,
communication, constraints, critical thinking, curiosity, creative state of
mind, and creative techniques. This study identifies the added value of
creativity, which creative techniques are used, how creativity can be
recognized, the reasons for being creative, and what environment is needed to
facilitate creative work. Our ultimate goal is to use these findings to instill
and further encourage the creative urge among undergraduate students in higher
education.
