This paper describes a research project concerned with the development, trialing and evaluation of heuristic strategies to use in technology education classrooms. The research is based in cognitive psychology and draws on information processing theory. A central premise of the project is that the move to creative design-based approaches over the last 25 years in Australia (Curriculum Corporation, 1994, ACARA, 2013), or in the case of the USA of Technology Education as Innovation in Action (ITEA, 2000) creates the need for technology teachers to develop new teaching strategies. One important feature of these new strategies is the know-how to assist technology students to develop practical, creative abilities. The development of heuristics is regarded as one important contribution to these new teaching strategies.