Research can be long, slow and frustrating. If you read about the slow understanding of electricity, or radioactive materials, or mental illness, or climate change, you can see how many ideas and false leads can pop up for each step forward. In truth, it is not easy to even know which direction is actually "forward". Over time, a helpful medicine may show bad side effects. A solution can turn out to be more trouble and less help. A crucial component can no longer be supplied.
It is possible to consider the entire history of humankind as a steady improvement in understanding and accommodation of the needs and hopes of humans. Of course, it is also possible to build a case that it has all been more or less random instead of a journey to better conditions. Even the current size of human population on this planet can be viewed as a measure of success or a measure of failure. The environmentalists have plenty of evidence that we have been too successful at populating this planet and at the same time, individually living longer, using up resources all the while.
It remains to be seen how the story turns out but doesn't it always remain to be seen? With greater awareness, maybe we will find a way to continue to exist as a species, without killing ourselves one way or another.
Researchers and scientists learn early on that jumping about without thought leads to even more deadends and failures. The only way to make actual progress seems to be much thinking before much action. Education in research methods emphasizes the role of theory, of thought beforehand that can possibly point experimentation in a profitable direction instead of more or less blindly hoping to stumble on a good invention or a satisfactory improvement.
Those studying the general idea of research methods are usually taught the value of reading the work and thought of others, often a faster, less expensive way of finding profitable directions instead of just shooting off into any old effort or notion. Even actual fishermen use knowledge, tools, experience and logic to increase the odds of getting a good result.
