Design work becomes difficult when every possible direction remains equally available. A useful constraint turns a broad ambition into a problem that can be explored and judged.
Write down the boundaries that come from the situation: the task, the available time, the content, or the ways people will interact. Distinguish those real constraints from assumptions inherited from an earlier design.
Try a few options inside the boundary and explain how each serves the task. The constraint should help a decision, rather than become a reason to stop asking questions. When the situation changes, review whether the boundary still belongs.
- Write the real boundaries of the task.
- Question inherited assumptions.
- Judge options against the purpose of the constraint.
A small working example.
Imagine designing a reading card with one main action. The constraint encourages a decision about the card’s actual purpose.
A note to keep beside it.
Try explaining the interaction aloud without pointing at the screen. The missing information may reveal where labels or sequence need a clearer relationship.
Follow a related question
Notice the heading hierarchy.
The building blocks of a pageExport a small representative sample.
Choose a tool with an exitKeep learning
Related background to continue exploring this subject.
W3C: accessibility, usability, and inclusion W3C: understanding accessibility criteria
