Focus on selecting a few meaningful sub-themes rather than many general ones. A targeted approach allows for:

• More focused project design and implementation
• Clearer measurement of progress and impact
• Better alignment with stakeholder priorities
• More effective resource allocation
• Stronger communication about project goals

When selecting sub-themes, prioritize those that:

• Directly connect to tangible activities in your project
• Reflect concrete changes you can measure
• Address specific stakeholder needs and priorities
• Contribute clearly to your primary objectives
• Have practical relevance to your project context

For each potential sub-theme, ask:

• Does this represent actual work we will undertake?
• Can we identify specific activities that advance this sub-theme?
• Is this addressing a real need expressed by stakeholders?
• Do we have the expertise and resources to work on this?
• Will progress in this area contribute meaningfully to our goals?

Ground your sub-theme selection in:

• Baseline assessment findings
• Stakeholder consultation feedback
• Previous project experience and lessons
• Scientific or technical understanding of local contexts
• Documented barriers or enablers of success

Ensure each sub-theme:

• Clearly links to one or more main domains
• Represents a specific aspect of that domain
• Breaks down complex issues into manageable components
• Creates a logical pathway to higher-level outcomes
• Maintains coherence with overall project goals

When finalizing sub-themes, consider how they:

• Complement and reinforce each other
• Create synergies across different domains
• Address multiple stakeholder priorities simultaneously
• Balance short-term and long-term objectives
• Contribute to sustainability beyond the project

Transform broad themes into specific sub-themes:

A well-defined sub-theme should:

• Be specific enough to guide concrete activities
• Be general enough to encompass multiple related actions
• Allow for meaningful indicator development
• Be understandable to all stakeholders
• Connect to observable or measurable changes

Ensure sub-themes reflect:

• Priorities explicitly stated by stakeholders
• Barriers they identify to successful participation
• Opportunities they see for meaningful change
• Cultural and contextual realities they experience
• Their definitions of project success

Consider developing different sets of sub-themes for:

• Different geographic areas within your project
• Various stakeholder groups with distinct needs
• Different phases of your project timeline
• Varying levels of governance or implementation
• Different ecological or social contexts

Choose sub-themes that:

• Connect to observable changes in practice, policy, or condition
• Can be tracked through defined indicators
• Have a clear "before and after" element
• Enable assessment of progress over time
• Allow attribution to project interventions

Ensure selected sub-themes:

• Connect directly to planned project activities
• Represent areas where you have implementation capacity
• Align with available expertise and resources
• Can be advanced through realistic interventions
• Build on existing momentum or opportunities

Begin with:

• A broad scan of potential sub-themes based on project scope
• Initial stakeholder consultation and baseline assessment
• Consideration of prior experience and lessons learned
• Analysis of contextual factors and opportunities
• Review of available resources and capacities

Improve selection through:

• Iterative stakeholder feedback and validation
• Pilot testing of measurement approaches
• Periodic review and adjustment based on implementation
• Documentation of sub-theme effectiveness
• Learning and adaptation throughout the project