Written retrospectively for the 2010 archive.

A design can look settled until I try it with less room. The headline wraps differently, the photo crowds the text, or the sidebar starts asking for space the article needs. I enjoy figuring out which part needs to move first.

It’s also a reminder that a design is easier to judge after I’ve given it a real constraint. I can spend a long time deciding how a page ought to work. Making the window narrow takes a second and gives me something specific to respond to.