2.  An ideal topic will:  be theoretically and personally interesting  be of value to your client  offer developmental opportunities  help advance your future career  allow you to obtain a good mark for your dissertation

3.  Where would you like to be in your career in the next five years?  What skills would help you achieve this?  What experience would help?  What knowledge and expertise would accelerate your progress?  What contacts might it be useful to develop?  What would help raise your profile?  What project areas might serve any of these?

4.  What might your client want from the research?  What might your client not want?  What might your research cost your client?  Are there any potential risks for your client?  What might be the benefits?

5.  What other stakeholders are involved?  What are their likely views?  What changes might take place?  What threats are there to success?  Are there likely to be difficult issues of confidentiality of any data?  Does the organisation have its own ethics approval process?

6.  Many potential topics are less promising than they initially look.  Some are more promising.  Considering several topics may result in a better choice than your original.  It gives you a fall-back position.  Ideas from one possible topic can enrich your thinking about another.

7.  Consider  Inefficiencies  Team working  Training  Missed opportunites

8.  Consider  Current interest  Current debates  Legislation changes  International aspects