Can you use the Scientific Method in a non scientific field?

Most science fair projects tend to follow the steps of the scientific method, but is the scientific method restricted to the field of science? Not really. The elements of the scientific method can be used by people other than researchers and scientists. People with jobs such as marketing, selling, cooking and even defending the law can use the scientific method principles.

Trial and error is one of the elements of the scientific method and this is common to a number of professionals. A cook wants to make the perfect flambe and he will use a number of different alcoholic combinations before he hits the best one. And this means he has to experiment with rum, brandy, wine and a number of trials before he gets that flambe perfected.

If that’s too simplistic imagine a corporate marketing executive who wants to increase the sales of his company. What does he do?He evaluates where the company is making a profit and where it goes into a loss. He makes a plan to improve the revenue generation and then he tweaks the plan to keep it useful. This busy executive in the pinstriped suit is also using the scientific method.

It is not so very different in many other non scientific fields. In fact people use the scientific method in their work and personal lives without even realizing that they are doing so. That’s why almost everything can become a science project of some interest.