Here are my ideas for a future crafting system. First of all, I believe that the game should continue developing its work-to-craft system, because it's more fun than gathering mats and pressing a button to manufacture. But it does need to be sped up A LOT.

Here's my idea for improving the crafting interface:

A. Allow button commands in order to do standard, rapid, and quality crafts. (QWE perhaps). Pressing the button preforms the relevant assigned command.

B. Toolbar menu (similar to Disciple of War toolbar) that allows key presses to preform abilities such as Masterpiece. REMOVE the time it takes for these to process, to speeden the craft up. I should be using these all the time (1 -> e would instantly cast masterpiece, then quality craft for example.)

C. (more optional, perhaps later down the road) allow queing of crafting commands, so I can que 10 actions or so on a single craft and step away from the computer. Just so, for the crafts i know exactly what I have to press, I dont have to sit and click every time an animation is done.

The final idea I leave with you: What if, the first time you craft a recipe, it makes a "Work Order" or a "Factory Schematic." This customizable schematic could then be given to your retainer to craft while you do whatever it is you do (naked time with kitty race, adventure, etc.), OR you can pay your craft's guild a fair to use their facilities to mass produce a schematic. You would require the materials, of course, and it would take some time to complete.