But the boss could not have as specialized skillset and knowledge as the lower level worker would have, so the boss couldn't be able to know as much, compared to what lower level worker would need to find out.

Responsibilities have to be delegated from the up, down, because upper level can't possibly have all the knowledge and skill of the skill-workers themselves as they are not spending 100% of their time on this exact skill work.

> Assuming they became your boss through technical merit they should be able to adequately describe requirements and anticipate implementation details.

For a period of time when they are within the domain yes. However if you are not constantly working in the domain to the same extent as the skill worker, you won't be able to keep up with the information. In order to be able to be on the exact same level of information you would need to spend the same amount of time on the skill work itself.

> Good requirements shouldn't need follow up questions beyond you potentially not knowing how to do something.

There's no way you can write such good requirements in any at least even slightly remotely complicated project. Nobody could write such requirements. The complex things are always iterative. You can only do simple, repetitive things like that. Absolutely nothing innovative.

> This funnels all the planning towards the top and they have massive incentive to shut the fuck up and not leak anything. It really is that simple.

This could only work in something like military with standard processes and where everyone follows this routine and orders. But not in intelligence work. Intelligence work is never that straightforward.