T/A is for the most part a useless endeavor unless the practitioner has a very deep understanding of what a particular study is sampling and what message it is conveying about market behavior. I’ve seen far more bad applications and mistakes using T/A as compared to wise judicious use.
The first thing to know about T/A are the limitations and shortcomings for each particular study - and there are many. There is also the matter of incorrect usage of sampling timeframes, and poorly designed study signal confirmation.
I’ve seen people use T/A for years without trying anything beyond the default settings. Most clients I take on have no understanding of TIME as it relates to the micro and macro architecture of TREND. I’ve seen people confirm a MACD signal with an RSI study - there are only three basic types of technical study, and it does you no good to confirm Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla with Breyer’s Vanilla (they’re both Vanilla). I’ve seen people claim to be trading trend using tic and one minute data. People give credence to DOM window data (depth-of-market) and interpretation but have no apparent appreciation for the spoofing, flipping, order crossing, stacking, and all the subversive gamesmanship that is now a reality with electronic markets. It’s a fools errand to take DOM data at literal face value.
There are many traps with the application of T/A - and I’ve mentioned numerous times in other posts about how T/A lures the practitioner into a false sense of security and even gross negligence regarding position management. Do NOT use an on-the-run technical study as a substitute for position management.
And 7 times out of 10 it is piss poor position management that dooms a trader.