Governance · tool 11 of 14
Tailoring Your Approach
Tailoring Your Approach: sizes the process to the project, so you have enough control and no more.
Best for: Project start and every review · Time: 1 hour
Domain: Governance · Focus area: Planning
How it works
No method fits every project as written. Tailoring means deliberately adding, changing, removing or combining practices to suit size, risk, regulation and team experience. Too little process loses control, too much wastes money.
- Start from what your organization requires, then adapt.
- Write down what you dropped and why.
- Review it whenever the team reflects on how work is going.
How to apply it
- Assess criticality, size, uncertainty, regulation and team maturity.
- Choose the life cycle and delivery rhythm.
- List which artifacts and meetings you’ll keep.
- Agree it with the sponsor or PMO.
A six-week internal tool uses a one-page charter, a board and a weekly note. A hospital system keeps formal gates, audits and full traceability.
For every document ask who reads it and what they decide with it. No reader means no document.
Quick check
What is tailoring?
Sources
- PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition, and The Standard for Project Management (PMI, 2025)
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 against the PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition · Practitioner review pending · How this guide is made