In fairness, I think those albion boxes were regarded as somewhat clunky and agricultural when bullets first came out.
The way I'd describe it is you change gear by the numbers like a drill manouver and lifting using your leg rather than your toe. Throttle closed 2-3, clutch in 2-3, GEAR 2-3, Clutch out 2-3, throttle on 2-3.
The clutch doesn't help either, a fine line between crabbing and slipping which alters according to time of day and engine temperature. The Bob Newby clutch in my 612 makes gearshifiting much more predictable. I think because it disengages fully when the lever is pulled.