What a Sidewalk Can Teach Us About Listening to Our Stakeholders

If you look at an aerial view of Ohio State University, you’ll notice something unusual: a series of seemingly random sidewalks crisscrossing the main commons. But here’s the thing—they’re not random at all.

When the space was first developed, no concrete paths were laid. Instead, students were simply allowed to walk wherever they pleased. Over time, those worn paths in the grass—known as desire paths—showed exactly where people actually wanted to go. Only then did the university pave the sidewalks.

Instead of guessing, they listened. The result? A campus that reflects the true movement of its people.

As marketers, business owners, or leaders, we often do the opposite. We design before we observe. We pave before anyone has walked. We assume we know what our audience needs—and sometimes we do. But often, we don’t ask, or we don’t ask often enough.

The sidewalks at Ohio State are a great lesson: Let people show you what they want before you build it, or watch what paths are being carved over time and course correct. Here are some simple, scrappy ways to uncover your audience’s desire paths without launching a full-blown research initiative. 

Go old-school with a survey.

Yes, people are tired of surveys—but that doesn’t mean they’re dead. Keep them short. Ask one question at a time. Make it fun, not formal. And let people know their voice matters. Need inspiration? HubSpot has some excellent tips on beating survey fatigue.

Buy someone a coffee.

You probably already know a few customers or stakeholders who will give you the straight talk. Take them out for coffee or a quick call and ask, “What’s working? What’s not?” These aren’t statistically valid results, but they can give you helpful gut checks—especially if you start hearing the same thing from multiple voices.

Use social media creatively.

Don’t underestimate the power of an Instagram story poll or a LinkedIn post with two options and a request for votes in the comments. Need more engagement? Offer a small giveaway. You’ll be surprised how many people will weigh in for a chance to win a coffee or branded swag.

Build a “feedback wall.”

If you have a physical space and a blank wall dying for some pizzazz, post a question and supply sticky notes and markers. It’s low-tech but high-impact—especially for internal teams. Questions like “What’s one thing we should stop doing?” or “What’s something you love about our brand?” can yield gold.

Ask your team what they’re hearing.

As communicators, sometimes we’re not the “boots on the ground.” It seems obvious, but sometimes, our colleagues are an untapped wealth of information – they just need to be asked.

Watch their actions.

Sometimes people don’t say what they want or even know how to articulate it—they show you. Where do users drop off in your process? What do they click on the most? Are they opening your emails? Are they using a product in a way you didn’t expect? Behavior is feedback, too.

Follow the worn paths.

The best marketing, the best products, and the best internal processes aren’t always the ones we designed. They’re the ones that evolved because someone listened. Whether it’s a literal sidewalk or a piece of your communications strategy, listen to what your audience has to say. They’ll help you pave the right path.