To What Extent Do You Plan Your Builds

Hello builders!  Just wondering about y'all's mindset toward planning. Do you operate entirely off plans? Do you build completely off intuition? Or are you somewhere in between?

Personally I like to imagine the dulcimer I'm going to build then make a quick drawing of it's general shape. I decide the VSL based on the size boards I have, and then I just start cutting, and usually by the time it's done it looks nothing like the drawing. Once I get the box assembled I like to make a checklist of each of the steps remaining (eg. Install tuners, glue headstock, cut frets, dress frets install frets, glue fingerboard, stain soundboard, etc) and then I check them off one by one as I do it. Checking off items on the list helps with my motivation.

I'm sure what I do is probably a lot less structured than most builders, but I'd love to know what others do.

Thanks,

Nate