| application area | metaphor | familiar knowledge |
|---|---|---|
| operating environment | desktop | office tasks |
| spreadsheets | ledger sheet | columnar table |
| object-oriented environment | physical world | real world |
| hypertext | notecards | organization of text |
| learning environment | travel | tours, guides, movement |
| file storage | piles | categorizing |
| multimedia environments | rooms | spatial structures |
| cooperative work | multi-agents | travel agents, servants |