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The intention was:

In Manchester in 2004, Geim and Novoselov often organized their so called Friday night experiments – a time where they would try out often bizarre and zany techniques.

The course of action was:

One of these Friday nights they played with scotch tape and a pencil. This is how they stripped tiny molecules of carbon from graphite and how they discovered graphene.

The result was:

Geim and Novoselov jointly won the Nobelprize in Physics in 2010 with their groundbreaking work on graphene. The structure of graphene resembles chicken wire. It turns out to be the thinnest possible material you can imagine. It also has the largest surface-to-weight ratio, it´s the stiffest material we know and it is the most stretchable crystal.

The lesson was:

So with his Friday night experiments Geim actually created a serendipity climate, making space for creativity, coincidence and playfulness. To put it in his own words: the only thing I can do is enlarge the small chance that I stumble on something valuable.

Further:

Ultimately graphene is expected to be used in airplanes, aeropace, cars, flexible touchscreens and so on.