Even if your pilot isn't very experienced you can make your life easier by designing the docking vehicle carefully. if RCS boosters are placed in equal distance from COM, it should keep the direction when using i,j,k,l. But fuel COM should also be on dry mass COM for this to work (which is a must on spaceplanes and shuttles anyway)
Most important thing i learned plaing KSP was "never underestimate those small engines". During my first walkthrough i focused only on big engines and NERV, and unlocked precision propulsion as the last node in my tech tree After learning how useful ants, spiders and sparks are, I started whole new career and begun to send bazyllion 6k$ probes everywhere. Also solid boosters are extremaly viable for light payload. Just sent 2 tourists to Minmus surface and back using those 3 biggest solid boosters in my ascent stage and then stage with one rellant to catch orbit. Rest was done with terrier
