Control content access whilst creating content Is there  a way to control access during the content creation process?  

With the Content Access module I can setup access controls for individual nodes of the same type, but only after I have created that content.

Could this process be integrated into the content creation process for the sake of intuitiveness.
Workbench, Workbench Access and Workbench Moderation modules could help you with access control and content management.

Workbench improves content management for Drupal 7. 
It has more then 1200 reported installs.

Workbench allows to :


simplify the user interface for content creators and editors 
limiting training and support time.
control who has access to edit any content based on an organization's
structure not the website structure
customize editorial workflow that integrates with the access control 
feature described above or works independently on its own


Workbench Access
Workbench Access provides hierarchical permissions across "Sections" of your website. You can use menus, taxonomy or create your own hierarchical structure for controlling access to the content.

Workbench Moderation
provides editorial workflow. It is a flexible system. It provides default workflow states like Drafts, Needs Review, and Published. You can also change these states to suit your needs.