To borrow from another field, there's a great 1969 interview with Charles Eames [1] (famed furniture designer) in which he discusses design, and constraints as being a necessary component of design. A pleasure to read.
Excerpts:
Interviewer: Does the creation of Design admit constraint?
Eames: Design depends largely on constraints.
Interviewer: What constraints?
Eames: The sum of all constraints. Here is one of the few effective keys to the design problem: the ability of the designer to recognize as many of the constraints as possible, his willingness and enthusiasm for working within these constraints. The constraints of price, size, strength, balance, time and so forth. Each problem has its own peculiar list.
Excerpts:
Interviewer: Does the creation of Design admit constraint?
Eames: Design depends largely on constraints.
Interviewer: What constraints?
Eames: The sum of all constraints. Here is one of the few effective keys to the design problem: the ability of the designer to recognize as many of the constraints as possible, his willingness and enthusiasm for working within these constraints. The constraints of price, size, strength, balance, time and so forth. Each problem has its own peculiar list.
Interviewer: Does Design obey laws?
Eames: Aren’t constraints enough?
[1] http://blog.designersrevolt.com/post/52143068880/the-definit...