Form and Function

Problem Domain:
During the course of the day I probably work with and open 75-100 files, all organized into the dozens of client folders that I have. Each client might have mulitple projects etc, so repeatedly getting to files requires this endless drilling through the directory structures. I find this task repetitive, tedious, and annoying. Each time I search for a file I have to consciously read each directory label since they each look the same visually, once a directory unfolds I then have to repeat the process. I estimate that I spend probably about 4-6 seconds to find a file on average. I probably repeat this task 100 times a day. The cost to me is anywhere between 400-600 seconds a day... multipy that out over the year (assuming 250 work days) and you are talking conservatively over 25 hours of my year spent searching for and opening files !!!! Now I am not sure what your time is worth to you, but I certainly have better things to do than spend what could amount to a 3 day vacation opening and closing files.

A Potential Solution:
During the course of the day, there are some files I use over and over again, whether it is particular to a client or project I am working on, or a certain technology or package. Most of these are located in the same proximity to each other on the file system as I organize my files by related subject areas.

What if the File Explorer (Windows) remembered which files I openend most recently, and how often I opened them? It could remember this over the course of minutes, hours, days, weeks. Now, if the File Explorer knew what I had openend most recently, and how many times I opened it, it could use some deductive logic and mark these directories and files for me visually. What if the directory or file was a different color/size/shape based on how recently I had been there, or how many times I opened it? This would allow me to use my naturally given parallel processor (visual cortex) to instantly see these patterns and guide me to the most likely navigation path without me to have to constantly read directory and file names. Even if I just shaved 2 seconds off my time, that would amount to 100 hours in my pocket :)

I have done googles across the web to try and locate such a tool, because to me it would seem that someone smarter and more adept would probably have already built one. But alas, I could find none. This is a product waiting to happen!