Understanding and evaluating engineering creativity: development and factor solution of the engineering creativity assessment tool (ECAT)

This study reports the initial development and validation of the Engineering Creativity Assessment Tool (ECAT), a performance-based rubric evaluating creativity in engineering design products using observable product features rather than self-report. Grounded in creativity theory and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking product-scoring tradition, ECAT was implemented among undergraduate engineering students (N = 199) at a northeastern U.S. public university, who completed an open-ended design task; trained raters scored final artifacts on four dimensions—Fluency, Originality, Elaboration, and Cognitive Flexibility—using structured descriptors that support consistent interpretation while preserving expert judgment. Exploratory Factor Analysis (via Jamovi) yielded a coherent, multidimensional structure aligning with ECAT’s intended subscales, though this solution is provisional and requires cross-validation. Findings provide initial evidence that ECAT can be scored reliably and yields interpretable, theoretically consistent scores. ECAT offers engineering education a transparent, practical rubric for assessing creative products, supporting formative feedback and research. Future work should replicate the factor structure across contexts and conduct confirmatory analyses with larger samples.