just placed my order with excel hopefully its here Wednesday. ordered from the optimum line; compound and polish

i know you guys said the time you work the polish is all dependent on your car. i doubt my eye is trained enough to know how long to work it. so how often to you recommended i check the paint to see my progress? should i work in like 2 min intervals? just looking for a way to get to know the product.

also do i need to clean the car again after i clay or can i just dry it and start polishing.