Configuration as Design

System configuration options are design decisions, not just technical settings. Every configuration choice shapes user experience and system behavior.

The Principle

Defaults, options, and constraints embedded in configuration are not neutral. They encode assumptions about users, use cases, and values.

Examples

• Default AI confidence threshold: Determines what users see as “confident” vs. “uncertain”
• Available automation levels: Shapes what human-AI configurations are possible
• Logging granularity: Affects auditability and privacy
• Rate limits: Influences user behavior patterns

Design Implications

Defaults Are Powerful: Most users don’t change defaults; make them thoughtful Options Create Choices: Every option implies users should sometimes choose differently Constraints Are Features: What you don’t allow is as important as what you do Configuration Debt: Complex configuration accumulates and confuses

Anti-Pattern

“Just make it configurable” (treating configuration as a way to avoid design decisions. Configuration should enable legitimate variation, not defer responsibility.

Related: 01-molecule—human-ai-configuration-concept, 07-molecule—ui-as-ultimate-guardrail