I follow this strategy for minimizing frustration:
- Do the basics first: Updates, adding & removing Features, and Drivers. Don't touch tweaks or services. If you get too greedy, it will be harder to troubleshoot a problem. Is this broken from a tweak setting, or are we missing packages? Image and test.
- Do Post-Setup next. Everything executed in post-setup can be tested live using CMD or reg.exe -- except for file paths. Uninstall an app and try the silent install. Run a PowerShell script, see if it works. Update your image, and test.
- Now with a working base, move on to Settings & Services. If you make mistakes, most of this can be "undone" on the live install. Find the tweak name in the preset and you can Google match the regedit (and fix it). Turn any disabled services back on. Some desktop tweaks have to be changed as a group to work as expected.
- Remove or disable in small batches. Name your presets by timestamps or batch numbers. When you break something, it's easier to go back one version and compare the changes. Write good notes to yourself, you'll forgot something a year from now.
- Get modular and merge separate presets. Have clearly distinct goals for each "module". When you share a collection of "modules", other people can skip the parts they don't care about.
- Use a VM if you have one. This allows you be adventurous, and break things. Not everyone has a spare system, or blank drive to test new images on. 4GB/40 GB virtual profile is enough for testing, installs are mostly disk-bound. The exception is if you're using ESD compressed images, which require more CPU to process. Compress only when you're done making edits.
- Have fun. It's not a race to finish early, or a competition for the slimmest ISO. What matters is can you keep the image updated over time.