For education I say "use what works": for me it's visual sources such as pictures, video and lecture. For my brother YouTube is nothing but a distraction and he prefers text and books. YouTube is a phenomenal source, and many professional companies use it for formal training, so it definitely works for me.

Another excellent resource is to use historical references: medieval maps were often drawn in pictorial view. It is amazing to see how the simplistic imagery used by the cartographers manages to make such wonderful images. By researching historical and real references, you will also not only gain a sense of how to realistically organize different settlements but discover what types of buildings and resources were required for everyday life that may go unconsidered.