Constraints, simply put, are limitations and restrictions. Why on earth would you ever what to restrict a user? Well, there are many reasons, safety, idiot proofing, product limitations, preventing mistakes, ect.
Donald Norman suggest that there are 4 categories of restraints.
1) Physical , which constrain possible options. For example, your key to your car. If it's not the right key. your car will not start.
2) Semantic, which is based on your knowledge. And if you are working with a product you've never used before, you determine what you do with that product on clues it gives you.
3) Cultural, you do certain things based on different situations. Think about how you act when you're hanging out with your friends compared to if you were to have a lunch meeting with your employer.
4) Logical constraints, if you were to put a puzzle together, logic would tell you that all the pieces need to be used.
With interaction design, there are lots of contraints that we could create. If it is a web site of app with secure information you may consider making a log - in screen, with will prevent unwanted readers from viewing private information. You can eliminate confusion by eliminating options. From the Library web page project I learned a lot about constraints. There were SO many options that people didn't know what to do. There were two search bars and that confused some people, even though they were labeled and in different places. Sine most of those links on those web pages were not for students anyway, it is simply easier for the student if they weren't there.
If there are too many buttons and not enough clarity or reason for the button, people may become confused or stuck on a particular web page and forget what the original goal was. By creating contraints, you can ultimately create a flow or pattern. This will make everyones lives a little bit easier.
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