I agree. it’s a misconception that you’ll necessarily have a dream after istikhara. the point is that you are asking for guidance and help.. it’s important to understand what the dua of istikhara means, it’s very simple and very humble.. just praying that if the issue at hand is beneficial, then make it easy for me.. if not, then make me successful otherwise and make me patient and able to accept it.
don’t focus on dreams or beads or whatever. the point is you’re making a dua. 
as for the formalities of how best to do it, we have that with the 2 rakat and then durood + dua + durood.