James Webb Young's 5 Step Process for Idea Generation

Step 1:
You gather as much information on the problem as you can. You read, you underline, you ask questions, you visit to inform work.

Step 2:
You sit down and actively attack the problem.

Step 3:
You drop the whole thing and go and do something else while your subconscious mind works on the problem.

Step 4:
EUREKA!

Step 5:
You work out how to implement your idea.