10 Requirement Anti-Patterns That Guarantee Project Failure

Anti-pattern #1: The Kitchen Sink — requirements that try to solve every possible use case in v1. Fix: define MVP scope and defer non-critical features.

Anti-pattern #2: The Moving Target — requirements that change faster than they can be implemented. Fix: establish change freeze periods and sprint commitments.

Anti-pattern #3: The Gold Plate — requirements that specify implementation details instead of outcomes. Fix: focus on what, not how.

Anti-pattern #4: The Orphan — requirements with no owner, no priority, and no acceptance criteria. Fix: every requirement gets an owner and acceptance criteria before entering the backlog.

Anti-pattern #5: The Clone — duplicate requirements spread across multiple documents. Fix: single source of truth with cross-references.

Anti-patterns #6-10 include: The Assumption (unstated dependencies), The Unicorn (technically impossible), The Ghost (no one asked for it), The Frankenstein (conflicting requirements), and The Echo Chamber (requirements validated only by their author).