Abstract: Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to simulate the creep indentationtesting on film/substrate systems. Based on the FEM simulation, a new methodis proposed to derive the material creep properties (in Norton equation) fromthe indention creep experimental results (indentation stress-indenterdepth-time) for thin film/substrate systems by the definition of`effective' stress and `effective'strain. In the simulation, a steady state was found and the steady state was used toconstruct the relationship between the traditional uniaxial tensile creep testing andindentation testing. In the simulation of the creep indentationtesting, FEM-results showed that the experimental results would havesome error from ignoring the influence of the substrates even if theindentation depth did not exceed 5%~10% depth of film.