What’s a ‘desire path’ anyway, and what does it reveal about us?
Give users total freedom, then watch and learn.
Next time you go to a public park, have a look at the paths the park planners have placed (try saying that 3 times fast!). You’ll probably see some paved ways, and then some dust paths where pedestrians (or cyclists) have cut across the grass. Once a few people have used that same route, it’ll become indented into the grass and eventually, it’ll become an unofficial path all of its own, or a ‘desire path’.
These users haven’t set out to make a new path — it’s just that they’ve noticed a quicker or more efficient way to get to where they need to be. And yes, quicker is different to more efficient — for example taking a longer route around a dip to avoid the effort of climbing back up the other side.
In my hometown there is a string of beautiful hills which make for great countryside walks. At the base of each hill, there is always a path which goes up to the crest of each hill and down the other side, and a path around the hill.
