Tailoring to the Project Environment

Tailoring to Project Environment Principle

What is the Tailoring Principle in PRINCE2?

The Tailoring principle states that PRINCE2 should be adapted to suit the specific context, size, complexity, importance, capability, and risk of the project. It's one of the seven fundamental principles in PRINCE2 that ensures the methodology remains flexible and applicable to any project scenario.

Why is Tailoring Important?

Tailoring is essential because:

• It prevents rigid application of processes that may not be relevant to all projects
• It ensures efficiency by applying only what's necessary for each project
• It makes PRINCE2 scalable for projects of any size or complexity
• It creates a more practical and focused approach to project management
• It avoids unnecessary bureaucracy and documentation

How Does Tailoring Work?

Tailoring in PRINCE2 applies to several aspects:

1. Themes: Adapt how you implement each theme based on project needs
2. Processes: Adjust the processes to match your project scale and complexity
3. Roles and responsibilities: Combine or separate roles as appropriate
4. Management products: Simplify or combine documentation as needed

Tailoring decisions should be:
• Documented in the Project Initiation Documentation (PID)
• Approved by the Project Board
• Based on a risk assessment
• Reviewed throughout the project lifecycle

Key Considerations for Tailoring

When tailoring PRINCE2, consider:

• Project scale: Small projects need less formality than large ones
• Project complexity: Complex projects may require more controls
• Project risk: Higher risk projects need more robust governance
• Organizational environment: Adapt to fit with existing processes
• Regulatory requirements: Ensure compliance with relevant standards
• Team capability: Match processes to team experience and skills

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Tailoring

1. Recognize over-tailoring vs. under-tailoring:
• Over-tailoring: Removing too many controls, creating risk
• Under-tailoring: Applying too many unnecessary procedures

2. Understand what can and cannot be tailored:
• You can tailor processes, roles, and management products
• You cannot remove the principles or remove key roles completely

3. Focus on justification:
• Be prepared to explain why specific tailoring decisions are appropriate
• Link tailoring choices to project characteristics

4. Remember common tailoring scenarios:
• Small projects may combine roles or simplify reporting
• Internal projects may need less formal contracts
• Agile environments may adopt more frequent but lighter checkpoints

5. Watch for tailoring clues in questions:
• Project descriptions provide hints about appropriate tailoring
• Look for indicators about project scale, complexity and environment

6. Apply practical judgment:
• The exam tests your ability to make sensible tailoring decisions
• Think about maintaining the right balance between control and flexibility

Remember that good tailoring maintains the essence of PRINCE2 while making it work effectively for the specific project environment. The goal is to implement PRINCE2 in a way that adds value, not bureaucracy.