Wow! What a great text. Thank you for that one.
It’s so true, I don’t know even where to start, because it is kind of mind blowing for me atm.
Let’s stick first to the practical/technical side:
My setup isn’t very scientific.
For one simple reason: I don’t have the time.
That’s why I like DT so much. In my job it’s a life saver.
I don’t need to “know” or even need to “read” the stuff. When I need to have it, it’s there.
I never had the time to sit down and contemplate or develop anything with the suggestions DT gives to me on a particular document. The search function was enough.
I don’t even have the time to go to a certain database and look for a specific folder. I never did that manually.
But still my workflow was like this: throwing everything into the Inbox during the week and try to structure my world on the weekend in some general topics and sort the files accordingly.
Since I don’t have in-depth technical knowledge, I hoped to train the A.I. so one day it will pay out.
And it was a funny experience because the suggestions DT made me, sometimes weren’t where I saw the document.
Remember: I don’t really read the documents - I just “scan” them quickly and then map them to the place. But DT didn’t even show me this place in its suggestions. I hope on the long run this is what they mean by “training the A.I.” (but maybe I am totally wrong about the concept…)
Psychologically there is maybe another extrem on the other end I can tell you about:
I never imported my e-mails into devonthink.
I got a work colleague who sorts his Outlook inbox, i.e. he creates for nearly every e-mail its own folder.
Since there is a team with access to the Inbox: two days later nobody finds the e-mail anymore.
It’s hidden somewhere, not accessible with the search function.
I leave my e-mail folder as it is and I am much faster to find any e-mail with a 3 year old (90 Euro) Samsung phone.
So you are right:
Everybody needs to find his own way.
May I ask you:
Do you do anything in Bookends with your files?
and
Are you using the Zettelkasten System?
Have you heard of Tinderbox?
I watched Beck Tench
Do you use Tinderbox?
Me personally somehow don’t get along with “Mind-Mapping” that is why I need groups in DT.
(Maybe it’s because I studied Latin too long… 
)
Take care!