The lesson of all of this is that by taking apart the components of a complex problem and making each part simpler and easier, you can help people create sequences of actions that will build new habits and defeat old one.

FORBES: Weight Watchers 360: Mobile Apps Can Break Hard Habits With Easy-to-Follow Steps

It has thrived on the outsourcing by car firms of complex components and on the burgeoning demand for four-wheel-drive transmissions.

ECONOMIST: GKN and aerospace

This conversion process creates a complex system of multiple components held to tight tolerances making manufacturing more challenging.

ENGADGET: Microvision integrates direct green laser into pico projector prototype, completes RGB achievement

Sequencing is a method of breaking down complex problems into actionable components.

FORBES: Mailbox App Revolutionizes Gmail Productivity, Will Google (Or Apple) Buy It?

The new study involves a complex method that requires women to donate eggs, and a demanding manipulation of cell components on a tiny scale, Daley said.

CNN: Cloning stem cells: What does it mean?

The math for doing this can get complex for the individual investor, since the overall volatility of the portfolio depends upon how the individual components behave in relation to one another.

FORBES: Investing