Sometimes it’s better to embrace constraints. Why not even invent some?
Constraints don’t need to make things harder – they can make things easier.
Why take a year to deliver something if you can get it out of the door in months?
Constraints focus the mind, especially on what is important and what isn’t.
Say you’re handed a project at work. It feels like something ought to be delivered within six months. How about seeing what can be achieved in six weeks?
It might end up being a bit rough and ready, but there’s lots of pros to outweigh that con:
- The positive feeling of having delivered something
- The ability to get feedback from users on what you’ve done
- Reducing the level of risk in the project
So rather than playing safe and asking for more time, more money, and more people, why not embrace some constraints and see what can be done quickly, cheaply and with a small group?