Working with limits.
WHAT CONSTRAINTS EXIST
Time and budget Technical capability Existing systems Brand requirements Legal and accessibility obligations The connection and devices your users have
WHY CONSTRAINTS HELP
They narrow the decisions, which makes them easier.
Unlimited freedom produces paralysis and inconsistency.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH EARLY
What cannot change What must be supported What the deadline actually is
WHAT TO DO WITH A HARD CONSTRAINT
Design within it deliberately, rather than pretending it is not there.
WHAT TO NEGOTIATE
Constraints that serve nobody.
Frequently an apparent requirement is an assumption nobody has questioned.
WHAT TO ASK
Why is this required?
The answer is sometimes that it is not.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Design something impossible and hand it over Ignore the connection and devices of actual users
WHAT TO PRIORITISE WHEN TIME IS SHORT
The main path most people take.
Perfect the common case before refining the exceptions.
