This study is a qualitative documentary review of scientific studies on creativity techniques in academic databases: Scoopus, Cielo, Science Direct and Redalyc between 2012 and 2017, clarifying the differences between technique, strategy, method and tool of creativity, and including these terms in searches. It could be concluded that in relation to creative techniques they are applications for the generation of ideas and the search for different recurring problems, in the classroom, in organizations and even in negotiations. However, the concept as such does not have more scientific support than those given to study a specific technique.