Currently using a small puddle so I’ll try lessening the amount. I have read on other forums that not giving soap enough of brush action can cause sticky skin so I may also have to work on my lathering technique
I'd suggest experimenting with your lather first and leaving out pre-shave while you do that.
People usually keep adding water until they get lather to a certain vicinity of a consistency they like.
However, I like to do something a bit different.
With a new soap, I usually try adding water to the lather until it "breaks" (loses slickness) and take note of the soap to water ratio. To fix the lather, if I want to, I either go back to the puck for another swirl or two, or add a bit more cream into the brush.
Once I get it to its peak hydration, I try to remember the water/soap ratio, but also what the soap looks like and how it feels (particularly its slickness). Next time, I'll know that I'll need less water, and I can dial soap in this way pretty quickly.
Because distractions happen, if I remember the characteristics of the soap at peak hydration, I can get my lather close to it even if I lose track of quantities.
With some soaps, as little as 10 extra seconds of whipping can make quite a difference.
Bowl lathering makes dialing it in a bit easier for me, as I can see e.g. how the soap parts around the brush and feel the resistance of lather a bit better (due to a bowl being a simpler shape than my face), and can be a bit less harsh on the face.