The people in those offices were also interviewed about their work styles and how they manage their stuff. In addition to work display methods that reflect how the mind works, physical preferences also enter in. Many people like to spread materials out in a circular pattern that mirrors their reach radius. Even on a rectangular work surface, papers and other items are often fanned out in an arc. The overall arc effect often includes stacks on the floor if the worker runs out of room on the desk or work surface.
Many people also use small prompts throughout their workspace.
These could be Post-it notes stuck to the computer to remind them of a meeting, or a note pinned to their coat reminding them to run an errand on their way home. With the Internet and other electronic tools, information is easier to access than ever before. This means that printouts can pile up dramatically during the research phase of a project. For completed projects however, paper volume often decreases as project notes and reference materials can be sorted and discarded. Compared to 5-10 years ago, there is more paper in offices, but it is not necessarily stored as long.