I go by the feeding schedule, but I cut the strength back. I start at 1/4 strength, by mixing the recommended amount for 1 gallon of water into 4 gallons.
Then I increase to 1/3 by mixing that same amount into 3 gallons.
Then half by doubling the nutes and going into 4 gallons.
At the first sign of tip burn I add in some phed plain water to decrease the ppm until they are happy.
I tend to ignore the different growth stages shown on the schedules once they are past seedlings, and base my numbers on the strong growth, transitional, and strong bloom ratios.
I am only in my second grow, so my strategy is still evolving, but this is what I am doing now.