Shipping with constraints

The best products come from teams with constraints, not resources. When you have limited time, money, or people, you’re forced to make decisions.

The paradox of choice

Unlimited resources create paralysis. Every option seems viable. Nothing gets cut. Scope expands until the project collapses under its own weight.

Constraints force prioritization. They reveal what actually matters.

Time boxes. Give yourself a deadline. Real ones, not soft ones. Ship something every two weeks.

Feature limits. Pick three things your product does. Cut everything else.

Team size. Small teams move faster. Two people who agree outperform ten who need consensus.

Constraints aren’t limitations—they’re design tools. They shape what you build by defining what you won’t.

The question isn’t “what should we add?” It’s “what should we remove?”