Embracing constraint

Refresh LX, Lisbon, Portugal, 21st September 2012

For many designers total freedom is far from ideal. We need an idea or a brief, but with that come inevitable constraints. Understanding and embracing these constraints is key to finding a simpler way to manage complexity in the websites we build. With less freedom and fewer resources, we have to make smarter decisions. In this practical talk, Simon will look at why we should impose limits, with a focus on making sense of the constraints we're given, why we should apply constraints ourselves, and how constraints can be a core feature in our work.

Transcript

1. Embracing
   constraint
   

   View Slide

2. 1024 x 768
   

   View Slide

3. 4:3
   

   View Slide

4. 16:9
   

   View Slide

5. 1920 x 1080
   

   View Slide

6. View Slide

7. View Slide

8. View Slide

9. View Slide

10. View Slide

11. View Slide

12. View Slide

13. View Slide

14. View Slide

15. View Slide

16. View Slide

17. View Slide

18. View Slide

19. View Slide

20. View Slide

21. View Slide

22. View Slide

23. View Slide

24. View Slide

25. View Slide

26. Having complete freedom is
    possibly the worst way to start
    any project.
    

    View Slide

27. Given constraints
    

    View Slide

28. With less freedom and fewer
    resources, we have to make
    smarter decisions.
    

    View Slide

29. Why impose limits?
    

    View Slide

30. Simplicity
    and
    complexity
    

    View Slide

31. Less is more. Simple is be er.
    Right?
    

    View Slide

32. View Slide

33. View Slide

34. View Slide

35. View Slide

36. View Slide

37. View Slide

38. View Slide

39. View Slide

40. View Slide

41. We don’t design web pages.
    We design systems.
    

    View Slide

42. View Slide

43. View Slide

44. View Slide

45. View Slide

46. View Slide

47. View Slide

48. Constraint is key to understanding complexity.
    Increase constraint and you create an ordered
    system; do that inappropriately and you create
    the conditions for catastrophic failure; remove
    constraint and the system is chaotic.
    Dave Snowden, The 5 C’s of Complexity
    

    View Slide

49. Content
    as constraint
    

    View Slide

50. The constraints we know,
    and the constraints we’ve
    yet to encounter.
    

    View Slide

51. View Slide

52. Unleash complexity in
    orchestrated phases, and
    increase power gradually.
    

    View Slide

53. Constraints
    as selling point
    

    View Slide

54. View Slide

55. View Slide

56. View Slide

57. View Slide

58. We design to communicate,
    and we seek emotive responses.
    

    View Slide

59. View Slide

60. View Slide

61. delight / emotion / surprise
    systems / constraint / restraint
    simplicity / complexity / focus
    context / reduction
    

    View Slide

62. Thanks
    Simon Collison
    @colly
    

    View Slide