Did you get them to confirm this hypothesis? Or did you just figure it out by deduction and projection?

This is an honest question. I work on both sides - dev and design, and so am privy of the driving forces behind the projects.

Sometimes they could include personal agendas but are almost never limited to those.

And I have had cases where I had to ask questions in confidence to uncover the political forces.

Have you had the opportunity to ask such questions and confirm your suspicions?