Production is most valuable when it solves the material that repeatedly blocks crafting or expansion.
Find the recurring shortage
Watch which material repeatedly interrupts progression and solve that first.
Balance production and consumption
Producing a large surplus of one resource is less useful if another essential material still stops progress.
Make output easy to store
A clean storage flow helps you see what the base is actually producing.
Use production to create exploration time
The point of automation is to reduce chores and free time for progression elsewhere.