First of all, I get it. There are probably lots of philosophies and market research concerning what a module/product should look like based on what is perceived to increase sales. But for me, rarely do I see a module that I feel like I can open and run at the table with less prep than it would take to just make my own. For a time Dungeon Magazine (Paizo era) did a good job. They were able to publish something that was easy to read, and also got the pertinent info in front of you. Perhaps this was a byproduct of the length of the scenarios?
Generally I am not looking for adventure paths/whole campaigns. I prefer a sandbox game, and find players will move on (IRL or In Character) before such a module could be finished. Honestly, I usually am not even looking for plotted out adventures, just an interesting hook, or location/map, or scenario that I can drop into whatever is already going on in my game. In my experience most modules are presented as literature to read through, and less as a game aid. I find I need to take the info presented and jot it down on my own to make it something I can use at the table.
My Process
Read/Scan through the module. First, I have to know what is in it, but this is also a good way to get a feel for if it is going to be worth the effort. If a reasonable reading/scan of the work doesn't give me a pretty good idea of the plot/event major turning points of the adventure, then it is probably going to take to much to make it table ready. This step can be harder in PDF depending on how much flipping back and forth the layout requires, nothing beats sticking your finger between pages....
Next I make an outline of the plot points with a note for any special crux moments ex: "You must remember to mention the Regent's purple cloak, it comes up later" I do the same for any other important factors, Character Interactions, Timelines, Major Spells/Magic items. I do the same for the map, usually skipping over the individual text for any given room and instead making spots for notes.
The biggest effort (and it is entirely my own preference) is re-writing stat blocks. It can be a lot of work, but it matches how I think about creatures. It is usually something along the lines of - Things that can come into play before interaction (senses, auras, languages, certain spells and skills) - Early Combat (initiative, movement, AC, saves, special defenses) - Late Combat (attack, damage, special attacks). Depending on how the creature(s) are used, they may be done "in-line" with my notes, or as part of a separate creature sheet.
By the time this is all done, I have 1 - 3 one sided sheets, depending on the amount of content. In its final form, it consists of a Map with basic info, and call outs for specific items. A plot/notes area to make sure nothing important is overlooked. A creature section. Some or all of these go up on the inside of the DM screen. This usually leaves by DM area free for the notebook I use to run combat and keep notes for future use.
Again, I get why you would not publish a product in this way. I would end up looking more like an instruction manual than a pretty piece of heroic fantasy. But it would be nice if we could get back to a sweet spot where the info needed at the table could be put right in front of the DM. It would probably also help the publishers to located and fix plot-holes/ issues within the product. But The Alexandrian can tall you all about that....
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