Vagueness with intention

Making a decision and solving a problem can be conducted in two major extremes. One extreme is to act rigidly according to a per-determined plan. The other extreme is to act with no plan. While it may sound absurd, I'm sure there are people who are at either extreme and solely stick to a plan, or solely act without a plan. Using the example of inventing the potato chip, you should be able to see that acting with a vague plan is the best approach.Vagueness is great because it inspires creativity and results in mutations in normal planning creating diverse outcomes. If you've never heard about how the potato chip was invented, here it is, summed up in this excerpt from the history section of wikipedia which is consistent with the story which I originally was told:
 "According to a traditional story, the original potato chip recipe was created in Saratoga Springs, New York. By the late 19th century, popular version of the story attributed the dish to George Crum, a half black, half Native American cook at Moon's Lake House, who was trying to appease an unhappy customer on 24 August 1853. The customer kept sending his fried potatoes back, complaining that they were too thick. Frustrated, he sliced the potatoes razor thin, fried them until crisp and seasoned them with extra salt. To Crum's surprise, the customer loved them."

The Vague Plan:
This must include some basic, planned, information. Having spent sometime brainstorming, acting vaguely will be most productive because it will be efficient due to some basic planning but will result in something unique and possibly better with vague action.
1) Basic supplies and ideas to get started
2) Knowledge of the possible rigid per-determined plan
3) Clear range of acceptable final outcomes

Step One: Acquiring basic supplies and ideas to get started
Looking at our example of the potato chip, you must first know what kitchen staples are needed. When George Crum invented the potato chip, he did so unknowingly at first, but he had the supplies to make a french fry: oil, salt, and potatoes. He also knew how to cut potatoes thinner to appease, or get revenge on the unhappy customers. This basic starting information is vital in moving forward to solving the problem of thick french fries. Without having some of this basic knowledge, what is going to happen. Likely, the situation is to not progress because there is nothing to help drive the solution, or the end result will be chaos because there was nothing given to start. Think fires, burnt food, and an explosion in the kitchen.

Step Two: Knowledge of the rigid per-determined plan
George Crum knew a possible way to solve the problem would be to simply make the french fries again, but cut the potatoes thinner to appease the customers. First, he would cut the potatoes slightly thinner, then he would fry them, then he would serve them. BORING! What gets done is what is expected: the creation of a french fry. With the knowledge of a plan though, Crum decided to take a little detour and deviate from the plan. With his knowledge of a plan and the willingness to deviate, he is responsible for a creative and diversify the outcome. If there were no mutations in life, how boring would that be? Everyone would look the exact same, live in the same exact cookie cutter house, and have the same dang thing for dinner... Ouch.

Step Three: Clear range of acceptable final outcomes
The final step is really in the eye of the beholder and frames how devious one can be when taking a detour from the last step. Crum really wasn't THAT devious. He really only cut the potato really thin. That might have been a big deal for him, but imagine if he stepped outside his comfort zone even more. Depending on the executor, a final range of outcomes will help guide action. If crum had selected a wider range, maybe the baked potato chip would have been born. Or maybe it would have been the banana chip. The leader has to be comfortable with the outcome though. Setting this range also allows us to say, "OK, we've accomplished our goal. We are finished now." I'm not saying that further evolution couldn't take place, but it important to know when one segment of work is done.