When it comes to building things, the outcome is dictated by the constraints. But not the way most people realize.
Constraints affect outcomes in (at least) three ways:
- by absolute limitation (you cannot violate these)
- by path of least resistance (the constraint makes X easier)
- by strategy (creative use of knowledge & skills leads to novel solutions)
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There is an injured person on top of a mountain, and they need medical attention. You need to go up the mountain, get them, and bring them down.
You only have so much strength/endurance, so nothing you do will ever be faster than what your body is capable of. You need to get up and down in less than two hours. You need to carry an injured person. The mountain has two slopes: a long gradual one, and a short steep one.
Most people would climb the long gradual slope, because it's the path of least resistance. But it will take 4x as long to climb up and down it. Climbing straight up the steep slope would be incredibly tiring, and unsafe to bring someone down.
You can, however, zig-zag up and down the steep hill. It will take more time than going straight up, but faster than the long way, you will be less tired, and it's safer to bring someone down hill.
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Constraints can be good and bad. Good use of constraints can allow you to get something done effectively. Bad use of constraints leads to failure. So it's important to have someone who can utilize those constraints effectively.
Vision, leadership, and wisdom is more important than the people, skills, materials, or time involved. The former determines the quality of the outcome more than the latter.