The Beaten Path: What Shortcut Culture Teaches Us About Systems and Processes
David Wakefield
Creating human connection through physical movement in the natural environment.
Every morning, I walk into work the same way I have for years. Through the turnstile, badge in, and along the designated pedestrian walkway. The site’s traffic management system is well thought out—clear paths for vehicles, marked walkways for pedestrians, all neatly designed to keep people and machines from competing for space.
And yet…
If you look closely at the picture the accompanies this article, you’ll notice something interesting: a dirt path, beaten down by hundreds of footsteps. A path that, officially, shouldn’t exist.
A while back, during a major outage, a cluster of crib huts was set up to house over 100 workers. There was a designated walkway to get there—clearly marked, safe, and predictable. But over time, the workers carved out their own shortcut, ignoring the assigned path and following the route that actually made sense to them.
That little dirt track tells a bigger story about how people interact with systems and processes.
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People Will Do What Makes Sense to Them
It doesn’t matter how well-designed a system is. Once it’s out in the world, people will use it however they want.
Not necessarily in a bad way—just differently than planned.
I’ve seen this happen time and time again. You spend weeks, months even, designing a process. You think about efficiency, safety, usability. You run it through a few test cases. It all checks out.
And then…
The moment it reaches the people actually using it, they find a workaround.
Not because they’re rebellious. Not because they’re lazy. But because they’re human. And humans are problem-solvers. If they find a faster, easier, or more intuitive way to get something done, they’ll take it.
That’s exactly what happened with the walkway. The designated route was there, but it wasn’t the best route. And when enough people found the shortcut, it became the path.
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The System vs. The Reality
Now, I’d love to say I’ve always embraced this reality with a philosophical shrug and a "Well, that’s just human nature!" But the truth is, I’ve felt the frustration too.
I’ve built processes and systems that I thought were rock solid. I consulted stakeholders, mapped workflows, and planned for variables.
And then, when the feedback rolls in?
"This doesn’t work." "Why did you do it like this?" "This is stupid."
And my first instinct—whether I like to admit it or not—is usually, "Well, did you even follow the process?"
But that’s the wrong question.
Because if people aren’t following the process, that’s the process’s problem, not theirs.
Instead of fighting this inevitability, I’ve started taking a different approach.
Yes, we build well-thought-out systems. Yes, we go through plan-do-check-act cycles. Yes, we ensure compliance and safety.
But once the process is out in the world, I watch. I observe. I see how people actually engage with it.
Because what they do with it is the reality—not what’s on paper.
That dirt path leading to the crib huts? It wasn’t a mistake. It was a message.
It was the workforce saying:
And that’s not just about physical pathways—it’s about all systems and processes.
So instead of asking, "Why aren’t people following the designed process?", maybe we should be asking, "What is their behaviour telling us about our design?"
I’ll still make adjustments when necessary. I’ll still hold the line on critical safety elements. But I’m also learning to let go of the illusion that I can predict every human behaviour in advance.
Somewhere between the planned system and the lived experience, there’s a sweet spot—a process that works because it’s not just designed well but used well. And that’s what really matters.
A Question for You
What paths have you seen people take—physically or metaphorically—that tell you something about how systems actually work?
Are they ignoring a process, or are they showing us a better way?
Let’s discuss—drop a comment or send me a message. I’d love to hear how you’ve navigated this in your own work.