One of the keys to succeeding in information product creation is to break the process up into discrete steps. This frequently isn’t an instinctive reaction for the typical information marketer. Especially on the internet where small sized learning products are the norm.

However, it is extremely important to your ultimate success. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you don’t do this you probably won’t succeed… even when you are starting out let alone as you move forward.

Your product creation system should do this for you if only to help you to understand the overall task.

But why?

In this article, I’m going to ignore chunking and focus on the practical aspects. That’s not to say that chunking isn’t important. It is. It’s important to understanding and to learning the process. But while you can use the same chunks as you move forward, long term your focus needs to be on the operation of the system not the understanding of it. Unless of course you are constantly training new people!

So why is chunking important to long term use of the product creation process? (Yes, I know systems design uses a different term for this process but I’m not teaching you systems design. So I’m going to use the word learning content designers use.)

The first reason that having individual discrete tasks is important is one of schedule estimation. Frequently it is very difficult to estimate how long the total task of creating a product will take. After all, the size and type of the products matters as does the number of products in your product funnel. And those are just the most obvious elements. However, estimating a discrete task is often much easier. The total can then be estimated as the total of the discrete tasks.

Secondly, scheduling a large task can be problematic. However, by segmenting the task into a number of discrete tasks, you gain a much greater flexibility in scheduling. Not only that but as your business begins to add people you are able to schedule multiple people to the product creation.

Finally, segmenting a large task into smaller discrete tasks allows you to have much better control over the product creation. This affects two different areas — status and quality.

By segmenting your process into discrete tasks you are able to schedule and record the progress at much more detailed level. As a result you are more in control of the status of the product creation. You know what everyone is doing. When they should complete it. And how much it should cost. You also know exactly what has been done.

You also improve your overall quality. Instead of waiting until everything is done you can check quality as you go. This allows you to immediate react to low quality products without absorbing their costs. This means that you have less rework and your rework costs less. And if the product is not going to meet its quality requirement you will know about it in time to stop the development, change the requirement or fix the product.

Having a home based business isn’t a shock anymore. We already do so many things at home we used to have to go out to do that working was the logical next step. For many people a home-based business may not be their only source of income but it provides them with additional money and they get to spend more time with their family rather than working elsewhere.The perks are obvious to working at home but there are some things you need to be prepared for before getting started:1. Stick with your comfort zone: One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a home-based business is they try to grab any paycheck they can find. Stick with what you are good at and expand on it. For example, if you usually do your own taxes that is something you can turn into a home based business. There are many programs available that can teach you how to work from home by doing other peoples taxes. Small businesses cannot afford a full-time bookkeeper to work in-house but they could afford someone who is set up to work part-time at their own home. That’s a great way for you to make steady income, have an increase in business during tax season and not get overwhelmed by taking on something you don’t really know how to do.2. Avoid distractions: The television, social media, long lunches and so many other things can easily distract you from getting work done. That’s one of the issues people are not prepared for when they try working from home. At an office or store you have the work in front of you and distractions behind you. At home it’s the complete opposite so it’s easy to get distracted and wasting time when working at home is also wasting money. Most work at home jobs will not be hourly, they will pay you for the project so if you do not get the job done in quickly, you are lowering your own hourly rate.3. Don’t forget who is doing the work: One of the biggest issues with home-based businesses is trying to get the work in the first place. Well if you get to a point where a lot of work is coming in you will want to grab as much as possible. Do not forget that you are the one doing the work so if you are already looking at a full plate then you may have to decline any more.It’s never easy to start your own home-based business but if you keep yourself organized and focused you should have success. Remember you have to give yourself time to talk with clients, research new information and all the other things you normally wouldn’t have to worry about with an hourly job.