What word would best describe the phenomenon when people use technology/products for other purposes than for which they were originally designed?
Inventiveness? Ingenuity? Resourcefulness?
Like that guy that killed himself trying to knock a nail in using a revolver as a hammer?
Thanks for the quick replies but they don’t answer my question. I’m interested in a word that describes the action itself, not the participants. Secondly, I’m not referring to a negative outcome; I’m just interested in any unintended (from the manufacturer’s point-of-view) outcomes.
For a hypothetical example: I might find that a screwdriver is an exception for cleaning my fingernails despite the fact that it was designed and manufacturer to undo screws.
How about “serendipity”?
The frustrating thing is that, a couple of months ago, I heard the word I’m talking about and it wasn’t “seredipity” (which I think is generally referred to as a fortunate outcome directly associated to something that happens to the person/within a participate’s mind.
The word I’m thinking about is less about the people, thought-process, initial reaction, or outcome.
For another hypothetical example: If a large number of people use their screwdrivers to clean their nails on a regular basis.
Now that I’ve re-read your post, yes that would be an example of a scenario that my word would describe - although not because he was using questionable judgement or had a negative outcome.
Are you after a word for the action of using a product ONLY in a way it was not designed for, or AS WELL AS the way it was originally designed for.
Thought it might make a difference, not that I have any ideas as yet.
innovative? Resourceful, maybe?
office buzzword? Tech-migration.
I’m not sure but I don’t think it matters because this word merely defines the fact that unindented usage occurs.
This is really becoming a splinter in my mind. :dubious: Although I can continue to refine the definition, I have a feeling it will elude me, however I can say with confidence that I’ll know the word when I see it.
Not really, those words describes attributes of the people themselves, not the phenomenon.
adaptation?
Deviation? Permutation? Variation? Divergence?
Bricolage is more kinda ‘Heath Robinson’ isnt it ? - making contraptions out of assorted unassociated bits-and-bobs.
Kludgery.
Cross-application.
re-engineering
Improvise?