creativity-constraint-play

Use deliberate limitations as creative catalysts by adding, removing, or manipulating constraints to discover innovative solutions that wouldn't emerge from unlimited freedom. Use when: (1) asked to break through creative paralysis by constraining scope or resources, (2) unlimited possibilities prevent decisive prioritization, (3) before recommending solutions to test whether artificial constraints would reveal simpler approaches, (4) scope keeps expanding and you need boundaries that force essential versus optional distinctions, (5) challenge assumptions about which constraints are truly fixed versus negotiable, (6) solutions grow comprehensive before validating essential features, (7) reframe limitations as creative catalysts rather than problems to overcome