The Split
- POLICIES — principles and abstract guidance. Durable, slow-changing,
canon-shaped. - REQUIREMENTS — specific functional needs of a build. Fast-changing,
PRD-shaped.
Why the Collapse Fails
A requirement written as if it were policy inherits policy's durability
expectations and resists necessary change. A policy written as if it were a
requirement inherits requirements' fast cadence and churns when it should
hold steady.
What This Does Not Resolve
The exact boundary test for classifying an existing document, and the
migration path for documents currently misfiled, are not defined here. This
document names the split; a follow-on promotion would need to propose the
test and the migration.
Practical Implication
Mode-output contracts and the PRD gate should each name explicitly which
artifact type — policy or requirement — they are demanding, rather than
leaving "policy" to do double duty.