1. A computer implemented method, comprising: utilizing a computer to perform: displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the GUI is configured to receive user input specifying one or more instances of a graphical program for deployment on a programmable hardware element; receiving user input to the GUI indicating the graphical program; in response to the user input, displaying via the GUI: the graphical program, comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program; one or more nodes of the graphical program, wherein each node of the one or more nodes is configurable in accordance with a directive to generate a respective hardware implementation of the node; one or more directives, wherein each directive specifies one or more requirements for a hardware implementation of the graphical program, wherein each directive of the one or more directives is selectable for application to a specific type of node in the graphical program; receiving user input selecting a set of directives for the graphical program; in response to the user input selecting the set of directives for the graphical program, displaying via the GUI: estimated results generated by a synthesis tool in accordance with the set of selected directives; and storing the set of selected directives in association with the graphical program, wherein the graphical program and the selected set of directives are useable by the synthesis tool to generate a hardware configuration program that is deployable to the programmable hardware element.