Designing With Constraints

A blank canvas is the hardest brief there is. Constraints — a deadline, a tiny budget, a fixed color — are not obstacles to good work; they are often what makes the work good.

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Why constraints help

When everything is possible, every decision is arbitrary. A constraint turns an infinite search into a finite one:

• It narrows the options to a set you can actually evaluate
• It gives you a reason to say no
• It makes the result feel intentional rather than accidental

How I use them

Before starting anything, I try to write down the real constraints — not the ones I assume. Often the box is bigger than it felt. For more on this idea, see this article.

Pick your constraints on purpose, and the work gets easier and better at the same time.