Introduction

Tailoring is the deliberate adaptation of the project management approach, governance, and processes to make them more suitable for the given environment and the work at hand.

In a project environment, tailoring considers the development approach, processes, project life cycle, deliverables, and choice of people with whom to engage. The tailoring process is driven by the guiding project management principles in The Standard for Project Management [1], organizational values, and organizational culture. For instance, if a core organizational value is “customer centricity,” then the activities selected for requirements elicitation and scope validation favor customer-centered approaches. This aligns with the principle of “Effectively engage with stakeholders.” Likewise, an organization with a low appetite for risk may have many processes and procedures to guide projects throughout their life cycles. A similar company operating in the same market—but with a high tolerance for risk—may have fewer processes and procedures. In both of these examples, the organizations are aligned with the principle of “Optimize risk responses” even though their appetite, processes, and procedures are different.

Tailoring entails the mindful selection and adjustment of multiple project factors, regardless of whether the label of “tailoring” is used.

The alternative to tailoring is using an unmodified framework or methodology. There are many methodologies available that provide descriptions of processes, phases, methods, artifacts, and templates to be used in projects. These methodologies and their components are not customized to the organizational context.

Most of these methodologies have clear instructions stating they should not be applied rigorously but should be subject to a process of tailoring to determine which elements are most useful given the particular type, size, and complexity of the project. Some inexperienced practitioners try to apply the methodology verbatim without regard to project size, complexity, duration, or organizational context.

Tailoring involves understanding the project context, goals, and operating environment. Projects operate in complex environments that need to balance potentially competing demands that include, but are not limited to:

• Delivering as quickly as possible,
• Minimizing project costs,
• Optimizing the value delivered,
• Creating high-quality deliverables and outcomes,
• Providing compliance with regulatory standards,
• Satisfying diverse stakeholder expectations, and
• Adapting to change.

These factors need to be understood, evaluated, and balanced to create a practical operating environment for the project.

There may be situations that limit the degree to which project teams can tailor their approach, for example, when organizational policies mandate the use of a specific approach or a contract specifies a mandated approach.