Like Jack Reacher once said:

“In investigations, assumptions kill.”

I think the same thing happens in software development more often than we realize.

As developers, we sometimes assume the client needs X when they actually meant X+, or sometimes something completely different. Other times, we assume how a feature should behave without fully understanding the business side behind it.

Recently, I faced a situation where my assumptions did not match what was actually expected. The result was misleading communication, wasted effort, and time spent building or thinking in the wrong direction.

And honestly, most of these situations do not happen because people are bad at communication.

They happen because everyone thinks they already understand enough.

One thing I started realizing:

Context matters more than assumptions.

If something is unclear:

Ask your leader or client to elaborate more

Ask why the feature exists, not only what it should do

Repeat your understanding back to them

Write down your…