Lewis Mumford (1895-1990) was an American Architecture and Literary critic, as well as Sociologist and Philosopher. I often attribute a particular quote to Mumford, though I can't seem to locate the source. When asked where to put a sidewalk, Mumford responds:
See where the people walk and then pave their path.
How many times have you seen two sidewalks intersecting at 90 degree angles, with worn grass cutting the corners?
There's a fine line between executing on your vision and listening to your customers. Consider Mumford's quote, thinking of the sidewalk as the "vision" and the path as "customer needs."