How We Came Up With Our Interface Metaphor
Step 1: "An understanding of how the system works"

• Current research performed on existing desktop metaphors in Windows 95/98.
• Analysis of the task of file organization in these operating systems.
• Determination of the conceptual model of file organization identifying possible  positive & negative aspects.
• Critique on usefulness of the current conceptual model of file organisations based on interaction and perspectives gained from group of the target users. 

Step 2: "Identifying the parts of the file organization system which give the most difficulty"
• Identify what aspects may look familiar to the user and what aspects may seem different.
• Direct observations of users file organization skills and abilities of target users.
• Analysis of degree of utilization of the current file organization structure by users in relation to full utilization of the structure.
• Questioning of target user group on what tasks seem most difficult tasks from their perspective.

Step 3: "Identifying the sort of model required, metaphors that support the model"
• Determining which metaphors are already implicit in the file organization problem.
• Focus on the problems identified with the target user group.
• Research on real workd events/objects which embody some or all of the characteristics of file organization which the target users find difficult to understand.