> "how can you build this to be most efficient and cheapest in the long run and lifetime of the product"

I couldn't answer this question accurately. I can't even give remotely accurate time estimates for projects larger than "build a CLI tool to do this one thing," much less give an informed estimate about the tool's TCO. I feel like I'm just floating down the river, incrementally improving upon the stuff that we've already built and that nothing we planned to accomplish ever is.

I'm sure lots of people here have executed their Grand Vision for a project. But I'm also certain many of us never have.