Constraints are bad, aren’t they? By definition, they impose limitations or restrictions, which seems like the last things you’d want for an analytical task. In a data visualisation environment, we experience constraints regularly:

Time - most tasks have a deadline (often, a more aggressive one than we are comfortable with);
Colours - in a business setting there are usually branding guidelines to follow, limiting our choices;
Tools and processes - normally a business will have access to a select group of tools and will have set processes to follow;
Output styles - from the tool required to produce the output (memo, email, PowerPoint, Excel etc) to the size and orientation (A4, A3, landscape, portrait) it needs to be in, we’re often limited by requirements that seem to have little to do with the work we’re doing.

We could look at all these constraints, and think that it’s impossible to do anything the way we’d hope to—certainly, any potential for creative flair is gone.

However, from a different perspective, constraints are actually beneficial when it comes to being productive. Without these constraints, your options would be limitless. Those that have experienced ‘writers block’ will know what it’s like to be incapacitated by a blank page, and the same applies in the world of data visualisation. What data shall I gather? What tool should I use? Which chart choice should I select? How big should I make my design? What fonts and colours would work best?

Constraints limit the choices available to us, and in doing so remove the paralysis of choice that stops us from getting started. Let’s consider our constraints again.

Time - With no deadline, when would we start something? Procrastination is an easy trap to fall into when there are no time constraints applied. A deadline gives us focus and applying a specific time to complete a project allows us to concentrate solely on the task at hand.
Colours - While being one of our most powerful tools, colour can be over-used when we have free reign over selection. Constraints can help us apply it thoughtfully and meaningfully.
Tools and processes - With so many tools available now, ranging from drag and drop interfaces like Flourish to more advanced code-based tools like D3, it’s extremely challenging to become an expert across everything. Pick a tool, possibly the one your business uses, and learn it well so it doesn’t become a limiting factor when creating visualisations.

Output styles - A structure of output styles allows us to have consistency and build up a library of commonly used styles and charts that work. With some tools, it’s also possible to create templates that allow faster creation of the visuals allowing more time to be spent crafting the overriding story around the data.

THE CHALLENGE

This month, pick at least two of the following constraints, and create a visualisation within those restrictions."

Complete your visualisation in an hour
Use a tool you've never used before
Use a single hue, or use only black and gray
Create something that is easily consumed on a mobile device

If you are feeling adventurous, add further constraints and mention them in the commentary.

Select a data set of your choosing, if you need help finding a source, check out this list of publicly available data for inspiration. Real-world work examples could also work as long as you anonymize appropriately. When providing your submission let us know which constraints you applied and how you got on with them. Was it helpful to have some structure to apply to your designs?

Share your constrained creation in the SWD Community by Tuesday, May 31st at 5PM ET. If there is any specific feedback or input that you would find helpful, include that detail in your commentary. Take some time to browse others’ submissions, too, and share your input via comments and data points over the course of the month.

RELATED RESOURCES

A few suggestions for inspiration on applying constraints are mentioned below. If you are aware of other good ones, please share them in your submission commentary.