The entire concept

As so many stumble over the many techniques and ideas, I think the entire idea of conscious dreaming can be conceptualized by breaking it down to what is actually happening.
This a my subjective opinion.

As it turns out many people claim they say they are dreaming in the dream. But contrary to what many think, you are still not in what is called a lucid or conscious dream.
What I believe to occur is that your subconscious is implementing these scenarios of (you are dreaming) and manifesting it into your dream. Due to the result of conscious activity. This however does not make sense to the subconscious. So it goes about the dream as it would in its regular manner . This is how one can say I new I was dreaming but I was not lucid. You truly in fact did not know you were lucid or conscious or awake. However. This new scenario, to the subconscious, implemented by YOU, was derived from your conscious effort. And theses efforts are your key to actually realizing you are dreaming.
When this role plays out, you must be able to provoke the CONSCIOUS development of the mind's role into the dream scene.
This is done through many of the techniques done while you are awake. You are awake & dealing with your conscious, thinking mind. Either questioned through techniques or reality checks it gives reason for your conscious mind to be provoked when you are asleep and while your subconscious is in primary control.
This can all be changed in the blink of an eye. You can wake up in your dream.
Even a DILD (Dream initiated lucid dream), if it were not for questioning your reality and thinking about lucid dreaming and the like, While you were fully conscious, it would be less probable to realize you are dreaming.
All other techniques you will realize at some point you are dealing with the conscious dwelling of the mind. Whether this be via a premeditated / precognitive approach or one in which you use repetition.