[jerven]

I understand how you feel. You are being hired to solve problems, and figuring out what to solve is a key part of the job. Solving problems is your aim, writing code is only helpful if it solves the problem. I love the days where I get into the office someone ask me streamline something, and all that really is required is a whiteboard, some pens and no code ever. Solving the urgent business issue at a cost of 30 minutes talking and 5 dollars of pens ;)

Hiding developers behind analysts and product managers makes everyones job less fun.

In my first job we had analysts, product managers, user councils making specifications. Specifications that where terrible and the developers in the team would have loved to do this iterative design with the end users, because the software would have been better fit for use. For me that was a soul sucking experience. Much better to be able to understand why the software needs to exist and how to make it good for users and the organisation (not always 1:1 mapping either)

Wanting perfect specs is a good way to limit your career as a developer. Because that way you will never be more than a glorified type writer with a analyst to hold your hand. Solving the whole business problem from start to end is the way to grow professionally.

Also perfect specs are impossible :( so iterating with your users is the fast way to good enough for business applications.

If you want perfect specs write sudoko solvers...