Collapse Detection
Documentation collapse = types merge inappropriately, serving no audience well.
Anti-Patterns
Tutorial Creep
Description: Tutorial explains "why" extensively | Detection: explanation >20% | Fix: extract to separate doc, link back
How-to Bloat
Description: How-to teaches basics first | Detection: teaching fundamentals before steps | Fix: link to tutorial, assume baseline
Reference Narrative
Description: Reference includes conversational prose | Detection: prose paragraphs in entries | Fix: move to explanation doc, keep factual
Explanation Task Drift
Description: Explanation ends with "do this" steps | Detection: step-by-step in explanation | Fix: move steps to how-to, link
Hybrid Horror
Description: Single doc tries all four types | Detection: 3+ quadrants in one doc | Fix: split with clear boundaries
Detection Rules
Flag collapse when:
-
20% content from adjacent quadrant | Two user needs served simultaneously | Ambiguous user journey stage
- "Why" in tutorials | Task steps in explanations | Teaching in how-tos | Narrative in references
Bad Examples for Calibration
Tutorial with Task Focus
# Getting Started
If you need to deploy to production, follow these steps...
Problem: Assumes user knows what "deploy to production" means. A tutorial should assume nothing.
How-to Teaching Basics
# How to Configure Authentication
First, let's understand what authentication is. Authentication is...
Problem: Should assume user knows what authentication is. Link to a tutorial instead.
Reference with Opinions
## login(username, password)
This is probably the most important function you'll use...
Problem: Reference should be factual, not opinionated. Remove "probably the most important" editorializing.
Explanation with Steps
# Why We Use Microservices
... therefore, you should: 1. Create a service, 2. Deploy it...
Problem: Steps belong in a how-to guide. The explanation should end with reasoning and link to the how-to for action.