This week, the lecturer gave a lecture about these 4 words - novelty, creativity, innovation and invention. The first is
novelty. Novelty is the quality of being new or unusual. According to wikipedia, the term novelty can have pejorative sense and refer to a mere innovation.
Example of Novelty

A chair in the shape of a hand
source : http://www.furnitureinfashion.net/images/blue-novelty-chairs-fu126bl.jpgSecond is creativity. Wikipedia states that creativity is a mental process involving the discovery of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the existing ideas or concepts.
Example of Creativity :

An ad for the "Zen" mp3 player
source : http://www.creative.com/images/products/mp3/zenvisionm/wallpapers/wp800_zenvisionm_1.jpgThird is innovation. Innovation is the act of introducing or doing something new. According to wikipedia, innovation may refer to an incremental emergent or radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations.
Example of innovation :

A billboard ad
source : https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbC1bP1apfFyyhhm2ZqG7bp29IypQ-QoiZa875GO69HzpdOOvZyuuFFjQT2dlI5pP5uuM9c4RJy2RP3eekbCSjGS7ng56Eo3VX3U3fBOOhaQVRcjtAnL9LucDKtBi0XF8geOxTgEmSbRqi/s400/billboardAd.jpgFourth is invention. An invention is a new device, method, or process developed from study and experimentation. Inventions often extend the boundaries of human knowledge or experience.
Example of invention :

An invention of a tea-bag holder
source : http://www.dailycognition.com/content/image/8/MakingTeaInvention.pngThe lecture is basically explaining the importance of novelty, creativity, innovation and invention. We must not miss out these 4 important "concepts" in our works (as a designer).