Actually there have been studies that show the opposite, at least for many workflows . Apparently with everything laid out neatly you often have to eyeball every item to find it. If things end up more in a "pile", then the most commonly used items tend to congregate to the top of the pile and are easily located, whilst the more rarely used items end up in the bottom of the pile. A lot of computer storage algorithms work similarly - rather that sequentially storing data, they analyze usage patterns and move the frequently used stuff to the faster parts of the system for rapid recovery.
Prioritizing with frequently used (insert item) being most accessible and having a messy workstation are not the same. The computer algorythms you speak of still have order, and computers are certainly much better at recalling where they stored something than we are.
I would be interested in seeing those studies, but I promise you, no one in my line of work (or any other I can think of) can be nearly as efficient as I am when they have to dig through a pile of tools, old parts and trash on their cart to find the socket they need, whereas I go to my meticulously organized racks and don't even have to look at the number on it to know whether I grabbed a 16mm or 17mm. The tools I use most stay toward the front of the drawers at most convenient heights, the ones rarely used are in top or bottom shelves, and often beneath others. Regardless, I know exactly where they are when I need them.
Those disorganized fellows are also the ones who leave parts off, because they don't see that stray part in the chaos that is their workstation. They may find it later and have an "oh ****" moment, or they may find out about it when the vehicle comes back with a problem. Those guys also tend to lose tools, as they don't realize they left it sitting on a radiator support or somesuch until they need it next. Me? If there's still a nut or bolt on my cart, it needs to go back on the vehicle, and if there's an empty spot in my rack, there's a tool trying to be a stowaway on the vehicle. When my cart is empty of tools and parts and my racks/drawers are properly stocked, the job is complete and the car can leave.
Along the same lines, when I want to load some .45 ACP, I simply pull down the box labeled ".45 ACP", which is internally organized, with clean brass loose inside and resized and/or primed brass in cartridge trays. Sometimes they're even organized by headstamp. How can one figure that having to go through each box (or dig out individual pieces of brass from a mixed bucket) can be nearly as efficient?
I just don't buy that chaotic conditions promote greater efficiency than orderly ones. It defies all logic.
Let's say you were looking for a 15mm Deep socket in 1/2" drive......
There are probably a dozen or so sockets on this cart:
And more than 200 on this one:
On which cart do you think you could find it more quickly?
If you specify a row from bottom and a count from left, I can not only tell you the type, size and depth of the socket, but also what brand it is. Could literally grab the one I want with my eyes closed.
And no, you don't wanna know how many guns I could have bought with the amount of money invested in just those four trays.