Model world constraints with assumption validation, dependency mapping, and scenario boundary definition.
Models world constraints with assumption validation, dependency mapping, and scenario boundary definition.
/plugin marketplace add davepoon/buildwithclaude/plugin install all-commands@buildwithclaudeSpecify constraint parametersModel world constraints with assumption validation, dependency mapping, and scenario boundary definition.
You are tasked with systematically modeling the constraints that govern your decision environment to create accurate simulations and scenarios. Follow this approach: $ARGUMENTS
Critical Constraint Context Validation:
If context is unclear, guide systematically:
Missing Domain Context:
"I need to understand what you're modeling constraints for:
- Business Domain: Market constraints, competitive dynamics, regulatory environment
- Technical Domain: System limitations, performance bounds, technology constraints
- Operational Domain: Resource constraints, process limitations, capacity bounds
- Financial Domain: Budget constraints, investment limitations, economic factors
Examples:
- 'SaaS business operating in regulated healthcare market'
- 'Manufacturing system with supply chain and quality constraints'
- 'Software architecture with performance and scalability requirements'"
Missing Constraint Types:
"What types of constraints are most relevant to your decisions?
- Hard Constraints: Absolute limits that cannot be violated
- Soft Constraints: Preferences and trade-offs that can be managed
- Regulatory Constraints: Legal and compliance requirements
- Resource Constraints: Budget, time, and capacity limitations
- Market Constraints: Customer behavior and competitive dynamics"
Systematically categorize and structure constraints:
Physical/Natural Constraints:
- Laws of physics and natural limitations
- Geographic and spatial boundaries
- Time and temporal restrictions
- Resource scarcity and finite capacity
Regulatory/Legal Constraints:
- Compliance requirements and legal mandates
- Industry standards and certification requirements
- Contractual obligations and agreements
- Intellectual property and licensing restrictions
Technical Constraints:
- System capacity and performance limits
- Technology compatibility and integration requirements
- Security and privacy constraints
- Infrastructure limitations and dependencies
Economic Constraints:
- Budget limitations and financial resources
- Cost optimization and efficiency targets
- Investment return requirements and payback periods
- Market pricing and competitive pressure
Organizational Constraints:
- Team capacity and skill limitations
- Cultural and change management factors
- Decision-making processes and approval cycles
- Risk tolerance and strategic priorities
Market Constraints:
- Customer preferences and behavior patterns
- Competitive dynamics and response patterns
- Market timing and seasonal factors
- Distribution channel limitations and requirements
Evolutionary Constraints:
- Technology advancement and obsolescence cycles
- Market maturation and customer evolution
- Regulatory changes and policy shifts
- Competitive landscape evolution
Cyclical Constraints:
- Seasonal business patterns and market cycles
- Economic cycles and market conditions
- Budget cycles and resource allocation patterns
- Technology refresh and upgrade cycles
Create comprehensive constraint relationship models:
Constraint Relationship Analysis:
Primary Constraints → Secondary Effects:
- Budget Limitation → Team size → Development capacity → Feature scope
- Regulatory Requirement → Compliance process → Timeline extension → Market timing
- Technical Constraint → Architecture choice → Scalability → Growth potential
Constraint Conflicts and Trade-offs:
- Speed vs. Quality: Time constraint vs. quality constraint
- Cost vs. Capability: Budget constraint vs. feature constraint
- Security vs. Usability: Security constraint vs. user experience constraint
- Scale vs. Simplicity: Growth constraint vs. complexity constraint
Constraint Dependencies:
- Sequential: Constraint A must be satisfied before addressing Constraint B
- Conditional: Constraint A applies only if Condition X is true
- Mutual: Constraints A and B reinforce or conflict with each other
- Hierarchical: Constraint A contains or encompasses Constraint B
Systematically test and validate constraint assumptions:
Constraint Assumption Template:
Constraint: [Name and description]
Assumption: [What we believe to be true about this constraint]
Source: [Where this assumption comes from]
Confidence Level: [1-10 scale with justification]
Impact if Wrong: [What happens if assumption is incorrect]
Validation Method: [How to test this assumption]
Update Frequency: [How often to re-validate]
Example:
Constraint: "Engineering team capacity"
Assumption: "Team can deliver 10 story points per sprint"
Source: "Historical velocity data from last 6 sprints"
Confidence Level: "8 - consistent recent data but team composition changing"
Impact if Wrong: "Project timeline delays, scope reduction needed"
Validation Method: "Track actual velocity, monitor team changes"
Update Frequency: "Monthly review with sprint retrospectives"
Use constraints to define realistic scenario limits:
Scenario Constraint Boundaries:
Optimistic Boundary:
- Best-case constraint relaxation (10-20% improvement)
- Favorable external conditions and support
- Maximum resource availability and efficiency
- Minimal constraint conflicts and trade-offs
Realistic Boundary:
- Expected constraint behavior and normal conditions
- Typical resource availability and standard efficiency
- Normal constraint conflicts requiring standard trade-offs
- Historical pattern-based constraint evolution
Pessimistic Boundary:
- Worst-case constraint tightening (10-20% degradation)
- Adverse external conditions and additional restrictions
- Reduced resource availability and efficiency challenges
- Maximum constraint conflicts requiring difficult trade-offs
Model how constraints change over time:
Temporal Constraint Dynamics:
Linear Evolution:
- Gradual constraint relaxation or tightening over time
- Predictable improvement or degradation patterns
- Resource accumulation or depletion trends
- Market maturation and capacity development
Cyclical Evolution:
- Seasonal constraint variations and patterns
- Economic cycle impacts on constraint severity
- Technology refresh cycles and capability updates
- Regulatory review cycles and compliance windows
Step Function Evolution:
- Sudden constraint changes from external events
- Technology breakthrough impacts on capability constraints
- Regulatory changes creating new constraint requirements
- Market disruptions changing competitive constraints
Threshold Evolution:
- Constraint regime changes at specific trigger points
- Scale-dependent constraint behavior modifications
- Maturity-based constraint relaxation or introduction
- Performance-based constraint adjustment mechanisms
Generate approaches to work within and optimize constraints:
Systematic Constraint Optimization:
Direct Relaxation:
- Negotiate constraint modifications with stakeholders
- Invest in capability building to reduce constraint impact
- Seek regulatory relief or compliance alternatives
- Restructure processes to minimize constraint conflicts
Constraint Substitution:
- Replace restrictive constraints with more flexible alternatives
- Trade hard constraints for soft constraints where possible
- Substitute resource constraints with efficiency improvements
- Replace time constraints with scope or quality adjustments
Constraint Circumvention:
- Design solutions that avoid constraint-heavy areas
- Use alternative approaches that minimize constraint impact
- Leverage partnerships to access capabilities beyond constraints
- Phase implementations to work within temporal constraints
Present constraint analysis in actionable format:
## Constraint Model Analysis: [Domain/Project Name]
### Constraint Environment Overview
- Domain Scope: [what is being constrained]
- Primary Constraints: [most limiting factors]
- Constraint Severity: [impact on decisions and outcomes]
- Change Dynamics: [how constraints evolve over time]
### Constraint Inventory
#### Hard Constraints (Cannot be violated):
| Constraint | Description | Impact | Validation Status |
|------------|-------------|---------|------------------|
| [Name] | [Details] | [Effect] | [Confidence level] |
#### Soft Constraints (Can be managed):
| Constraint | Description | Trade-off Options | Optimization Potential |
|------------|-------------|-------------------|----------------------|
| [Name] | [Details] | [Alternatives] | [Improvement possibilities] |
#### Dynamic Constraints (Change over time):
| Constraint | Current State | Evolution Pattern | Future Projection |
|------------|---------------|------------------|------------------|
| [Name] | [Status] | [Change pattern] | [Expected future state] |
### Constraint Interaction Analysis
- Primary Constraint Conflicts: [major trade-offs required]
- Constraint Dependencies: [how constraints affect each other]
- Cascade Effects: [secondary impacts of constraint changes]
- Optimization Opportunities: [where constraint improvements are possible]
### Scenario Boundary Definition
- Feasible Scenario Space: [what scenarios are possible within constraints]
- Constraint-Breaking Scenarios: [what would require constraint violation]
- Optimization Scenarios: [how constraint improvements could expand possibilities]
- Stress Test Boundaries: [maximum constraint loads the system can handle]
### Constraint Management Strategies
- Immediate Optimization: [quick constraint improvements available]
- Strategic Relaxation: [longer-term constraint modification approaches]
- Alternative Approaches: [ways to minimize constraint impact]
- Risk Mitigation: [approaches to handle constraint violations]
### Validation and Monitoring Plan
- Constraint Monitoring: [how to track constraint status and changes]
- Assumption Testing: [how to validate constraint assumptions]
- Update Schedule: [when to refresh constraint model]
- Warning Systems: [early alerts for constraint violations]
Establish ongoing constraint model improvement:
# Business strategy constraints
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Transform limitations into strategic clarity through systematic constraint modeling and optimization.