We had a solid 4 hours over multiple nights on BF before we trimmed, we then trimmed and one shot it. This week we will clear up to BF again and hopefully with a full group down BF again.
In terms of people not min/max specing their characters, a lot of that has been taken out, there is no immense reforge and gemming table and a huge talent tree to choose from, there is no crazy research that needs done. Read Icy Veins, or something similar, and see if what they recommend. Use WeakAuras to assist in your rotation if you are still learning the rotation, look out there with google, plenty of rotation helpers already made.
I do not expect everyone to be able to get 100% dps out of their toons, but I do expect everyone to take the small amount of time necessary to get within say 15% of what your class/spec/ilvl simm for. That is not a hardcore thing, it is pretty easy.
If anyone needs simmed or help finding WA strings to assist them, let me know, I am more than happy to help.
The officers, at least as far as I know, never WANT to trim; however, it is sometimes necessary to make group comp changes in order to down a boss and get over the hump. No one likes to be sat, I was sat for the first IM kill and it sucked, but I was doing 23k dps. Last week I did just shy of 40k. It took a WA string and about 45 min to make that difference, if you do not have 45 min extra to be putting into the game then there is an issue.
Hopefully no trims are needed this week, everyone should rewatch the HBF and H Blackhand videos, these fights are tough but I am sure we can down them with no problems if everyone shows up with their A game.
EDIT: Also mandatory Roqwell for Prime Minister.