thanks
we're against these systems as most of my co-workers found them too complicated to learn. Speaking frankly I'll be OK using any system - I'll adjust but I cannot persuade 60 years old people.
I'll put another vote in for Drupal then.
Regardless of the system, you're going to need someone who's willing to put in some time teaching themselves the CMS. That person will need to be relatively computer-savvy. This does not need to be a programmer, just someone willing to get their hands dirty following technical instructions. The trickiest part for any system is the initial setup: creating the database, configuring the server, etc. If you're testing on your own computer first, install MAMP for MySQL (the database), Apache (the server), and PHP.
Once you have someone to handle the technical items (potentially yourself), spend some time in your local bookstore. Typically the first chapter of a good book will let you know whether a system is suitable for your purposes. YouTube would have user-created training videos for any system, but a bad video can turn you away from a great system, so be careful with that approach (although the same can be said for books).
Most systems ship with several looks (or themes), and many, many more themes are available on the website where you downloaded the CMS. Try to avoid using the available themes as a deciding factor for the system, as most systems can be easily themed by a web designer or developer. The way the administration system works is what makes or breaks a CMS.
If a content management system is setup poorly, the learning curve becomes much more steep for users, so understanding permissions is very important. While the administrator needs to be familiar with the bulk of the system, other editors need to learn only the editing screen. I have attached the editing page from Drupal for reference. Note that I don't have a rich text editor configured here, though CKEditor or TinyMCE can be added relatively easily.
I'll suggest that most systems can be setup so they are approachable for the 60-somethings at the firm, so ignore what you've heard about WordPress and Joomla! and include those in your evaluation. I worked as an accountant in a small firm years ago, so I understand the users you're worried about.
There are many more things I could say, but I need to get back to work for now.
Good luck with the search.
Kind regards
Luke Gladding
PS: Drupal administration doesn't look great by default, so make sure you use the Rubik theme and the Admin module if you go that route. Don't worry, you'll know what I mean if you do some research on the system.
