The process seemed to be a bit overwhelming when we first started doing research. It actually ended up being fast and fairly easy once we got started. We did have one hiccup and had the I-130 returned because I missed a couple "N/A" or "none" entries on the form. Even with this minor setback, the whole DCF process only took 3 months.
My suggestion for anyone planning to DCF is to be prepared. Have all of your documents ready and in an easy to find order. I saw one I-130 application ahead of me turned away (and he had traveled pretty far) simply because he didn't have passport PICTURES needed for the forms.