I'd have to agree with you here. Can a process really be wrong at all? If it works for someone, and the output is good (which it is).. what exactly is wrong?
Process doesn't matter, there is no right or wrong.
There are effective but sloppy processes and complex but really accurate processes around. After all a process just saves or costs time at the cost of benefits or disadvantages. So I guess the process which leads quicker to the result you want to have is the right one (has to be decided on a case by case basis)
if it comes down to proportion issues the eyes are slightly to small (in the width) and to far apart. stretching them to the base of the nose should do the job.
the base of the nose is to thick
the nostrils are to wide and too pronounced (lighting of ref 2 comes from below, while lighting on ref 1 comes from the left - ( I guess this caused your accidental inconsistencies through copying)
The nose also should be a tad pointier (angle at the ball) and a bit thinner (has to be counterbalanced once you corrected the base I guess)
Biggest planar/perspectivical problem currently lies at the visible right plane of the head, the hair there should be more foreshortened to underline the depth - that should also help the ear to come out more as it's the case with real ears.
neck and shoulders need imo a complete redraw (perspective and proportion wise) - compared to the face which has quite realistic proportions there are currently by far the biggest deviations from a realistic point of view. But that's really rough, so I don't know if it's just meant as a placeholder.