Constraint

A system has observable behaviours. Constraints are what inform and shape those behaviours.

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References

Constraints | Cynefin Wiki (opens new window)

While we often focus on the collective behaviors of a system, the "constraints" of that system inform and shape that behavior. Constraints shape a system by modifying its phase space (its range of possible actions) or the probability distribution (the likelihood) of events and movements within that space.

Backlinks

• Types of constraints
  • One of the best way to understand the types of Constraint is to elaborate them by examples, these are my examples of physical and mental/knowledge. The official definition is best defined in the references.
• Solving puzzles vs shifting patterns
  • What's keeping the patterns in place? Constraint
• Constraint should be a plausible hypothesis
  • When you're thinking about what Constraint are at play in a Complex system, you have to generate thoughts. These constraints don't need to be proven, you can think about them as a hypothesis.
• Designing parallel safe-to-try probes
  • Once there is a hypothesis of what Constraint keeping a pattern in place, you can begin designing a Safe-to-try probes.
• Use heuristics as a constraint
  • In a Complex system, hard and fast rule is not effective. Defining a comprehensive rules that will work for 100% of the time will be too costly and will overly constrained a system, preventing the system from generating emergent patterns. A Heuristic on the other hand would typically be a single sentence and a more cost effective Constraint to be applied.