What can a worn patch of grass at a US university teach us about the future of website experiences?
I saw the photo shown in this post again recently, and while the main story still fascinates me, I thought about how 'desire paths' play out in new AI-powered experiences.
First, what’s going on in the photo?
It shows the Oval (and its many paths) at Ohio State University, a large, central green space on campus. It sits between many of the most used academic buildings, making it a natural thoroughfare for students and staff walking to and from lectures, the library, canteen, and halls etc.
They didn’t lay the paths at first
Instead of guessing where people should walk, the university left the grass open.
Students and staff walked freely across the Oval for some time. As thousands of people used it daily, clear tracks quickly formed in the grass, these being the most convenient and direct routes between buildings.
These tracks are ‘desire paths’. Organic patterns of human movement that emerge when people take the route that feels most natural or convenient to them.
Let’s transpose this into traditional web experiences: paved paths, fixed routes
Traditional websites force users down predetermined paths, ‘step 1,2,3,4’, ‘Answer these first…’, ‘Complete this form…’. These are like the architect’s ideal routes. Linear. Clean. But often not aligned with how customers think or what they really need.
If they don’t see an option that fits, they skip, abandon, or fudge their way through. No feedback loop. No learning. No real visibility of intent.
AI-powered experiences unlocks desire paths, without losing control
We no longer need to force users down rigid journeys. With AI-powered experiences, we can empower customers to tell us where they want to go and then walk along with them. It’s not chaos. It’s guided flexibility.
A customer might say:
“I’m not sure what insurance I need…”
“Can you remind me what I said earlier?”
“I’m just checking something before I switch…”
These aren’t mistakes or wrong turns, they’re desire paths. Signals of intent. Clues to behaviour. Invitations to understand.
With Ai-powered experiences it’s proven we can:
✅ Use the conversation framework to guide experience to outcomes whilst still empowering directional freedom
✅ Show important information they miss when taking their own path, ensuring compliance, best practice, sales opportunities are not missed.
You’re not letting go of control. You’re building trust and better data by giving people space to move, ask, and decide, their way.
Still paving over the grass?
Desire paths don’t disrupt, they reveal.
When customers choose their own way, they show us what matters, where friction lives, and what’s missing.
Follow the paths they create, and you don’t just improve the journey, you unlock the insight to transform it.