Wide-orbed aspects can sometimes produce very dramatic, life-forming or life-changing effects especially if one or both aspected planets are angular, or otherwise brought to power or emphasis in the chart.
For example, suppose an angular planet (the only one in the chart) and this planet beholds only one aspect, of very wide orb. I would certainly not ignore such an aspect. The angularity of the one planet gives it power in the chart/life, and the wide-orbed aspect, when it perfects by direction and/or progression, can be quite potent. The wide orb shows a slower development.
And I would agree with Dr Farr on aspects by sign. I find it very important to pay attention to Quality and Element relationships between planets even if not in aspect. It is also helpful to look for collection, translation and such things in analyzing aspects. The chart of Bobby Fischer offers an excellent example of this with its square between Mercury and Uranus. The square is cross-sign and occurs in the same Element rather than the same Quality, as is normal with squares. This is very important and significant in the interpretation. Here the aspect is not wide, but does point to the importance of examining the Quality/Element relationship in aspects. Einstein's chart has a similar (but different) cross-sign aspect, an opposition of Jupiter and Uranus (again not of wide orb).
And even though the natal chart is to be considered as "static" (life-long), it is often very informative to observe what the planets do in secondary progression. You might, for example, have a more rapid planet separating from a heavy body, but the day following birth the rapid planet turns retrograde and returns to the heavy body to complete the wide aspect. This changes the way you interpret that aspect. An example of this is Mars-Uranus in the chart of Luis Donaldo Colosio. What appears to be a separating aspect of wide orb (when you look at the natal chart standing alone) in fact grows in power over the years and finally kills him (along with other planets.) [I use a different time of birth from what is given in astrodata, a time that was given to me by a great Mexican astrologer who deals professionally with high-level politicians. The falsification of birth time and birth place by Mexican political families is endemic. My Mexican sister-in-law has 3 birth certificates with different dates and times, all official, and she is an ordinary citizen.]
As another example, I have Jupiter in 12 degrees, stationary direct, ruled by Mercury, and Mercury is Rx at 24 degrees. At the age of 16, by secondary progression, Mercury stations exactly on the trine (partile) to natal Jupiter. Note that I consider the rulership, or reception, in analyzing the aspect and whether or not to consider it effective in the natal chart. In this case I do consider it effective, and life events and personality traits would seem to support this view...and not just the progressed aspect. So I am allowing a 12 degree trine. The two planets, natally, are actually in mutual application rather than separation, and the aspect perfects by progression, besides which Mercury has dominion over Jupiter. The chart tells me I should not discount or ignore this wide aspect. In addition, Mercury and Jupiter rule the meridian angles, increasing their influence in the chart somewhat, and this allowing the wide trine is useful in chart synthesis -- it helps describe the relationship of Midheaven-Nadir, or 10th/4th depending on the house system you use. Although neither planet is itself angular, both are determined toward the angles.