Hey Dan - that's quite a mouthful of requirements you've got listed there - but you're 100% right, too. The frightening thing is, I seriously doubt many companies go to the correct, rigorous lengths that you detail. I'm sure this varies between industries, business sizes, and a host of other variables. But given how often we hear about projects going pear-shaped - either badly or just enough to be talked about - I'd guess that few really sit down and think through exactly what they want, how to get there, and what it should look like when they get there.
I certainly know what you mean by "creeping featurism" - I've been part of a few projects for a couple of employers where nothing more than a general - we need this, make it happen - is given to those who have to make it all work. And then guess who gets the blame when the job is completed, and "the bosses" come back with the age-old "but I thought it would do xxxx!". Yeah, well, perhaps if you had written it down and expressed it clearly, we could have made it do xxxx for you...
