[nine_zeros]

> A key skill of a senior developer is a sixth sense for this kind of unspoken requirements, and asking questions to flush them out. Not always possible, of course.

While true, a key requirement for even senior developers to function well is good management or a good team lead.

If effective management doesn't exist, the senior engineer should be made manager/team lead since he's doing that work anyway.

On the other hand, if management is micromanaging, then the responsibility of clarification is on the micromanagers.

Management of knowledge workers is a hard job. Most managers are incapable of understanding their reports and understanding their OWN standing among their reports.