Being that cmd-tab does not bring forth minimized windows from the dock, I usually do a CMD-H (or, while tabbing, simply an H) to hide the application. That way, if I want to view it I can still access it via the tab switching.
I use expose for if I have numerous windows of a single application open; I also sometimes use it if I have accumulated too many windows over time and forgot to hide apps. (Say I leave the computer for a few hours and forget what I was doing or where everything was.) Oh, and as Mitthrawnuruodo suggested, expose is quite great for drag-n-drop.
Better yet, I want a virtual desktop solution that actually works. I tried Desktop Manager, but it did not work as I had expected. I'm considering trying Virtue, but "alpha software" scares me.