One of the key findings of this work is the importance of the molar ratio between Zn 2+ and 2-methylimidazole in determining the operative mechanism for ZIF-8 formation, which can transition from the addition of single ions to the formation of an amorphous cluster and later internal reorganization. Additionally, we have demonstrated that no single synthetic variable alone can fully control nor be employed to predict all aspects of ZIF-8 particle size and morphology and that it is only through analyzing the complex interplay between these variables that a true understanding of the growth process can be obtained. Moreover, by using machine learning protocols, we have been able to determine the specific influence of each synthetic variable on the median particle size, shedding light on the role of each parameter in controlling the final product properties. This is an important step forward in the development of MOFs with tailored properties, which has significant implications for a wide range of potential applications. However, we also acknowledge that this work represents only a starting point in the quest for a complete understanding of the nucleation and growth mechanisms of ZIF-8, and there is still much work to be done to fully explore the chemical space of these materials; it becomes imperative to set standards for reporting synthesis results which allow systematization, and more importantly and perhaps "contracultural", to include negative results in our reports, which will allow depicting the complete chemical space. We believe that the results presented here will be of significant utility to the scientific community, serving as a guide for future research on ZIF-8, with a methodology easily extrapolated to other MOFs.