1) Level your alts to 110.
2) Start your artifact knowledge research the moment you hit 110.
3) Play your main for regular progression, dungeons, raids, wqs, emmisary caches, mythic+ dungeons etc.
4) Log in to your alts to farm the wq GEAR you see on your map and occasionally the order resources.
5) Collect Artifact research notes every 2-3 days on your alts, while still normally playing your main.
6) Take it easy and after a few weeks of collecting artifact research notes, play an alt normally and get increased AP from the increased knowledge level.
7) Profit.
The point of alts are just that. They are ALTS. They are not meant to be on equal footing with a main character. I have 6 level 110 characters, with 1 being my main, and of course my main is the best geared and most progressed, but as i have been playing like the above 7 steps, 2 of my alts are done with their class campaign, they are at 830+ item level, with one being at 852. Their artifact weapons have 2 gold crests. Keep in mind that I have a full time job, a wife and other responsibilities. This is me playing here and there, not no-life status.
In short, quit trying to argue that the expansion is not Alt friendly.