Pressure profiling advice needed for a novice

This thread got me thinking of the "2.8million factors in making exceptional espresso." We all know the 4 M's of making espresso. I thought it would be interesting to keep a list of the 2.8 Million factors that mdmvrockford was talking about.

Let's try to keep a running list. Maybe when we get to 100 we can all vote (and disagree) on a proper order of the factors.
The bean, the grind, the machine, the barista

uhg, I already have a problem and I haven't even posted this yet. the 4 are too easily split into multiple things. OK here goes a second effort:

1. Bean/Blend
2. Roast
3. Grind
4. Dose
5. Yield
6. Time
7. Temperature
8. Preinfusion
9. Pressure
10. Distribution
11. Tamp

OK more than 10% of the way to 100. Who wants to add?

It feels like you are trying to vastly over complicate the process, but maybe I dont understand the goal.

Are we not talking about the variables you actually need to deal with when pulling shots, every time? Just everything involved in extractions in general?

A little tongue in cheek fun with a side of real information. We know you can make great espresso paying close attention to a few important factors. You can also obsess over the seemingly unlimited number of factors in search of the god shot. That said there are nuggets of info in this endless search that can help incrementally improve results. I am not sure if that explains it well enough but let's see where this goes, if anywhere. Maybe some good will come of it.

1. Coffee
-varietal
-processing technique
-temperature before grinding
-age (days post roast)
-RDT?

2. Roast
-roaster type
-roast level

3. Grind
-burr type
-burr size
-grinding speed
-grind size

4. Dose (weight)

5. Distribution technique
-wdt?
-grooming tool?

6. Tamp
-pressure
-tamper style (convex, flat, etc)

7. Water
-type (distilled, spring, Third Wave, Pavlis, etc.)

8. Pressure
-max pressure
-preinfusion time and pressure
-flat, declining, or inclining pressure profile

9. Temperature
-fixed or variable

10. Dispersion screen type

11. Filter basket
-size
-type (VST, IMS, Decent)

12. Yield (weight)

13. Shot time

14. Cooling time

15. Drinking vessel

Don't forget ambient conditions: room temperature, relative humidity, altitude.

From all the factors you mentioned there is only one that I consider of the most importance.And that is the time you start drinking freshly roasted beans.
I don't care about tamp ,pre infusion or pressure profiling.
Of course they play a role but but a very small one .To me anyways.
Get the beans into the right age range and you are good to go.Then you can start to look at other factors.

Andrew and Zach,

very useful and thank you. This type of listing makes it so much easier to explain to people how difficult it can be to compare results when two people brew the same coffee.

Michael