Which factor is a major reason for late discovery of missing requirements?

The major reason for the late discovery of missing requirements is often due to a lack of user involvement during the initial stages of the project. When users are not engaged in the early phases of requirements gathering, their needs, expectations, and insights may not be adequately represented. This can lead to misunderstandings or omissions regarding what the system should achieve, resulting in requirements that only surface later in the development process when they become apparent through testing or user feedback.

During initial project phases, user input is crucial for identifying both functional and non-functional requirements, which helps ensure that the final product meets the intended goals. When users do not contribute at this stage, the development team may assume certain aspects that are essential to users are understood, but they might not be. This misalignment can contribute to significant delays and complications later in the project when these missing requirements are finally identified, necessitating rework or leading to a product that does not fully satisfy user needs.