---
title: "Innovation in Technology – During Research, Unexpected Findings Lead You Down New Paths"
date: 2008-01-21
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/01/21/innovation-in-technology-during-research-unexpected-opportunities-lead-you-down-new-paths/
---
# Innovation in Technology – During Research, Unexpected Findings Lead You Down New Paths
> Many innovations start in the same way as mentioned previously [from dedicated problem solvers], but an unexpected opportunity emerges and is pursued midway through the work (p. 41).

In other words, while people are pursuing one direction, they encounter a surprise that leads them down another, more fruitful path. The surprise may lead to an invention completely unrelated from the original intent of the research.

Berkun then mentions three examples (which I describe below) where an invention came about unexpectedly.

### Flickr

[Flickr](http://flickr.com), the popular photo sharing service, didn't begin as a photo sharing service. Instead, the team's original intent was to build an online game such as [World of Warcraft](http://www.worldofwarcraft.com). Midway through their work, they realized the photo-sharing feature of their online game was more popular than the game itself, so they switched directions and focused on a photo sharing service instead.

### 3M

[3M](http://www.3m.com/), the makers of Scotch tape and Post-it Notes, originally stood for “Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company.” In the early 1900's, 3M was drilling mineral deposits to find better ways of making grinding wheels. Faced with declining profits, they shifted products to abrasives (e.g., sandpaper). One day an employee saw an industrial painter swearing at the sticky residue his tape left on a car.

![Post-it Notes](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/subprod_note_pads1.jpg)

The 3M employee, Richard Carlton, saw a need for tape with a non-sticky glue (which wouldn't leave residue), and eventually developed Scotch masking tape. Later, using the same non-sticky glue technology, 3M came out with Post-it Notes. Who would have thought Post-it notes would come out of a mineral mining company?

CNN has a fascinating article on the unexpected twists and turns 3M has taken since its inception. According to CNN,

> After the development of masking tape, McKnight [one of 3M's entrepreneurs] learned a crucial lesson about letting his engineers follow their instincts. He soon codified this lesson into a policy known as the 15% rule. "Encourage experimental doodling," he told his managers. "If you put fences around people, you get sheep. Give people the room they need." Still in place today, the rule lets 3M engineers spend up to 15% of their work time pursuing whatever project they like. (["3M: A Mining Company Built on a Mistake ..."](http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2003/04/01/341016/index.htm))

Based on the success from the unexpected innovation, 3M has adopted additional policies to encourage free thinking and innovation.

### [![Craig Newmark, Craigslist founder](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/newmark_craig1.jpg)](https://iinnovate.blogspot.com/2007/03/craig-newmark-founder-of-craigslist_26.html)Craigslist

With [Craigslist](http://craigslist.org), Craig Newmark's original intent wasn't to build a community-information-and-exchange site for all the U.S. Instead, he began using e-mail to let his friends know about cool events taking place around San Francisco. When e-mail would no longer support the demands of the information, Craig evolved the site into the popular Craigslist site it is today. (For a podcast with Craigslist founder, see this [podcast from iinnovate](https://iinnovate.blogspot.com/2007/03/craig-newmark-founder-of-craigslist_26.html).)