How to implement RAID - for real

This is not a question, just sort-off plea for assistance.
I am having a heck of a time implementing RAID.
There are tutorials , mostly based on "mdadm" and incomplete.

This is what works - sort off - not necessarily in proper sequence

1. Use gpatred to add /dev/sdx -
assign "raid" flag to it
2. Use mdadm to --create RAIDx
3. Use Disks to mount /dev/sdx and /dev/mdx
4. Use gparted to create /dev/mdx partion type and
create /dev/mdx partiton - not sure when
4. (Test) copy something to ONE of the /dev/sdx
5. Use mdadm to watch for smoke

However the most challenging part is that RAID uses SEVERAL valid / legal designations:

"standard " Linux /dev/sdx
mdadm CAN assign /mdx or /name
gparted WILL change at random from /md1 to /md127 or /name
Disks by default uses uuid - name, icon name , icon symbol optional
Ubuntu file manager goes by Name or Label - assigned by user in gparted
or UUID assigned by Disks - impossible to track.

And I'll skip mount point for now.

Any suggestions how to manage this mess?
Post-it notes ?

Besides the old doctor's joke:

"doctor - it hurts when I do this..."
"soo don't do that !"