Tradeoff

The general ideal of a tradeoff is well known, but it becomes very prominent in design, including in the designs that are the result of evolution. When considering the space of all possible designs, it is possible to locate designs that have one or more more desirable properties, but trying to maximize too many qualities simultaneously is problematic. If qualities don't conflict, then it is a no-brainer to choose both. In evolution, sexual reproduction is an effective means of combining non-conflicting features. But in practical designs there are always resource constraints that may force tradeoffs even when features don't conflict.