Constraints are Necessary in Design
Jul 22, 2006A conversation I had recently with John Long (Radiant’s creator) got me to thinking about the use of constraints in web design and software development. The knee jerk reaction to constraints are that they are overly restricting, impede creativity, and result in a product that is not as good as it could be. My opinion?
Constraints are freeing, will make you more creative, and will result in a better product.
A few examples:
- Only able to use black and white? Khoi Vinh’s Subtraction shows what is possible.
- Required to leave the fancy touches out of webdesign? Daring Fireball does wonderful things just typography.
- Need to make the most of whitespace and text? Scott Raymond’s Blog keeps things simple and readable.
- The writers of Projectionist make the most of 390 pixels per post.
Constraints force us to be creative with just a few tools, and discover new ways of pushing boundaries. By working with less you’re required to rethink your approach and really master what few resources you have. Constraints also force you to leave behind the fancy toys that allow you do the whiz-bang cool things just because you can. Because what happens when you do the whiz-bang cool things just because you can?
Visit MySpace. (Be warned, if you do you will cry out in horror and bleed from the eyes.)
Constraints force you to focus on the immediate task at hand. They allow you choose a direction quickly and focus on the task at hand.
Constraints will allow you arrive at a solution quicker because you no longer victim to the paradox of choice. This is especially pertinent when doing web development since new choices are something that we are presented with on a regular basis.
So in the future embrace constraints as they are presented, don’t worry about the implied restrictions. Instead be worried if you are given no constraints, for you will likely never reach the intended final result.