Why Human Constraints Matter

The case for constraints

• People have bounded attention, memory, and precision.
• Context varies: light, noise, motion, hand availability.
• Designing for constraints makes products robust and inclusive.

Benefits

• Fewer errors and support costs
• Faster onboarding and success rates
• Regulatory compliance and brand trust

Practice

• Bake constraints into requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Use checklists; validate with diverse users and assistive tech.

References

• ISO 9241-11 — Usability: Definitions and concepts: https://www.iso.org/standard/63500.html
• NN/g — Usability 101: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-101-introduction-to-usability/