How do you best optimize playing with the PS4 controller?

[radioactive_lego]

That works well enough if you're never going to do anything other than DPS.

Tank and DPS. The few times this seems "inconvenient" is with PLD where I want to Cover or SS someone on the team. But in 99.5% of situations, TNks an DPS are focued on mobs. even in situations where you have to deactivate the hotbar to "eat" something, it's no more inconvenient than what you proposed.

Reduce and remove the clutch folks. You are making the gamepad way more busy than it needs to be.
Oh and i heal like this too. My hotbars are almost always active, because i like being able to defend myself.