It has been suggested that emerging “intelligent” systems for computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE) have the potential for hindering and/or usurping designers' creativity. This issue is explored by pursuing the nature of creativity in engineering design in terms of those behaviors that tend to be associated with individuals who are judged to be creative. The characterizations of creative behavior that result are discussed in terms of their implications for the development and implementation of computer-based support systems for designers.