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— Quetzalli

Think in Systems, Not Pages

If you want a 6-figure job in tech writing, you need to prove you think like an Information Architect (IA).

Writing docs is just one tiny part of your job.

At a high-growth startup, they also need someone who can:

Design a scalable doc system
Map user workflows
Prioritize content needs across teams
Identify structural gaps and overlaps

Are you ready to level up from “tech writer” to “system designer?”

Build Your IA Audit (Right Now)

Pick any public documentation site. Ideally, for a CLI tool, open source project, or API.

Your goal: Analyze its structure like an architect, not a user.

Step 1: Map Your Docs Current Structure

Create a table outlining:

Top-level sections (Home, Quickstart, API Reference, Tutorials)
Subpages inside each section
Internal linking patterns (e.g., does the API ref link back to tutorials?)
Navigation logic (is it persona-based? feature-based?)

You’re documenting the existing IA first, and re-designing is next.

Step 2: Identify Breakdowns & Gaps

Now look for content structural issues:

Too many top-level categories?
Orphan pages that don’t belong anywhere?
Mixed metaphors (e.g., feature names + user tasks mixed together)?
Docs optimized for features but not workflows?

Start a “recommendations” section in your audit.

Step 3: Propose a Better IA

Sketch a redesign in your tool of choice. (e.g., Figma, Canva, etc.)

Your goal is to reorganize the docs by:

User journey (First-time user → Experienced user)
Or persona (DevOps engineer, Platform team, Cloud Security)
Or task type (Setup, Use, Automate, Troubleshoot)

Link your redesign directly to user experience improvements:

Faster onboarding
Easier discovery
Reduce support tickets

ACTION ITEM: Add It to Your Portfolio

Turn your audit into a case study for your portfolio!

This Information Architecture audit demonstrates your:

Real analysis of a live product
Proposed IA improvement
Demonstration of systems thinking

Stop limiting yourself to “just a tech writer;" start getting paid like a strategic product owner.

That's the difference between someone who gets paid $65K and someone deserving $120K+ at a startup.

Hasta nuestra próxima aventura,

(Until our next adventure)

Quetzalli Writes

# 029: Stop Guessing, Audit Your Docs Information Architecture