Tailoring PRINCE2
Tailoring PRINCE2 is a fundamental concept that acknowledges the need to adapt the methodology to different project environments rather than applying it rigidly. This concept emphasizes that PRINCE2 should be appropriately scaled to suit the project's size, complexity, importance, risk, and organizational environment, while still adhering to its core principles. Tailoring applies to all aspects of PRINCE2, including how the processes are implemented, how prescriptively the themes are applied, how much management products are produced, and how roles are allocated within the project management team. The key to effective tailoring is understanding which elements of PRINCE2 must be preserved to maintain its integrity (such as the principles) and which can be adapted to match project circumstances. Project managers must make conscious decisions about tailoring, documenting these in the Project Initiation Documentation to ensure transparency and agreement among stakeholders. Appropriate tailoring prevents both 'method-led' approaches (where PRINCE2 is applied too rigidly, creating unnecessary bureaucracy) and 'PRINCE2 in name only' (where so much tailoring occurs that key controls are lost). Effective tailoring decisions consider organizational context, project characteristics, and the environment in which the project operates. When implemented correctly, tailoring PRINCE2 ensures the method provides appropriate governance and control while remaining efficient and pragmatic, making it suitable for projects of any scale from small initiatives to large complex programs.
Tailoring PRINCE2: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding Tailoring PRINCE2: Why It Matters
Tailoring is a fundamental principle of PRINCE2 that ensures the method is applied appropriately to any project regardless of size, complexity, organization, or culture. Tailoring makes PRINCE2 flexible and adaptable rather than a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach.
Proper tailoring is crucial because:
• It ensures PRINCE2 is applied effectively to the specific project context
• It helps avoid unnecessary bureaucracy and paperwork
• It maintains the essential elements of PRINCE2 while adapting processes
• It aligns the methodology with organizational needs
What is Tailoring in PRINCE2?
Tailoring refers to the appropriate adaptation of PRINCE2 to the project environment, ensuring the method is neither applied too rigidly nor too loosely. It involves adapting the themes, processes, and management products to suit the project's specific requirements.
Key aspects include:
• Adapting PRINCE2 terminology to match organizational terms
• Adjusting the level of planning detail and control based on project scale
• Combining or simplifying roles where appropriate
• Scaling documentation to fit project complexity
• Adapting management strategies to suit the project context
How Tailoring Works in PRINCE2
For Themes:
Each theme can be tailored by adjusting its application depth and rigidity. For example:
• Business Case: May be simplified for smaller projects while maintaining focus on value
• Organization: Roles might be combined for smaller projects (e.g., Project Manager and Team Manager)
• Quality: Quality control measures scaled according to project criticality
• Plans: Level of detail and formality adjusted to project size
• Risk: Risk management procedures scaled according to risk level
• Change: Change control procedures simplified for smaller projects
• Progress: Reporting frequency and detail adjusted to stakeholder needs
For Processes:
Each process can be tailored by adjusting its application to project size and complexity:
• Starting up a Project: May be brief for smaller projects
• Directing a Project: Decision points might be combined for efficiency
• Initiating a Project: Documentation scope adjusted to project size
• Controlling a Stage: Control measures scaled to risk level
• Managing Product Delivery: Formality adjusted to team size and experience
• Managing Stage Boundaries: May be streamlined for shorter projects
• Closing a Project: Level of formal closure activities scaled appropriately
For Management Products:
Documentation can be tailored by:
• Combining documents where sensible
• Simplifying formats while maintaining essential content
• Adjusting detail level to project complexity
• Using templates appropriate to organizational standards
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Tailoring PRINCE2
1. Focus on principles: Remember that the seven PRINCE2 principles are never tailored or compromised. They must always be applied.
2. Understand appropriate tailoring vs. inappropriate dilution: You must distinguish between adapting PRINCE2 appropriately and diluting it to the point where it loses effectiveness.
3. Know the four project variables that influence tailoring decisions:
• Project scale
• Project complexity
• Project risk
• Contract and supplier arrangements
4. Consider the project environment: Answers should reflect how organizational culture, standards, and existing methods affect tailoring.
5. Identify what can be tailored:
• Themes (how deeply each is applied)
• Processes (how rigorously each is followed)
• Roles (potential combinations or separations)
• Management products (detail level and format)
• Terminology (alignment with organizational language)
6. Remember the minimum requirements: Even with tailoring, a project must still maintain:
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Managing by stages
• Management by exception with tolerances
• Focus on products and outcomes
• Business justification
7. Apply context to scenario questions: For scenario-based questions, analyze the project characteristics before deciding how tailoring should be applied.
8. Watch for extreme tailoring scenarios: Questions may present scenarios where tailoring is taken too far, effectively breaking PRINCE2 principles.
9. Consider scalability: Small projects need simplification while maintaining PRINCE2 essence; large projects may need full implementation.
10. Look for clues in questions about project size, complexity, and organizational culture that suggest appropriate tailoring approaches.
Remember that tailoring should always serve to make PRINCE2 more effective for the specific project context, never to bypass essential controls or governance structures that protect project value.
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