individualized

Individualized is an adjective describing something that is tailored to the needs, preferences, abilities, or circumstances of a single person. The term follows from individual and historically derives from Latin individuum, meaning indivisible, later adapted into English with the sense of addressing a particular person. The sense of making or adapting something to fit an individual is captured by the suffix -ize.

In education, individualized approaches are commonly associated with individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities, as well as broader instructional methods that adjust content, pace, supports, and assessments to a learner’s profile. The goal is to maximize learning by recognizing distinct strengths and challenges rather than applying a one-size-fits-all curriculum.

In healthcare, individualized or personalized medicine uses genetic, environmental, and lifestyle information to tailor prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This can influence choices such as drug selection, dosing, and therapeutic strategies to improve efficacy and reduce adverse effects.

Other domains employ individualized strategies as well, including coaching, rehabilitation, customer service, and software design. The overarching aim is to improve outcomes and engagement by aligning interventions with the unique characteristics of each person.

Challenges associated with individualized approaches include higher resource requirements, potential inequities in access, and implementation complexity. Critics warn that excessive individualization may undermine standardization, comparability, and scalability, while proponents emphasize gains in relevance, effectiveness, and satisfaction. Related concepts include personalization and customization.