Tiger team

A tiger team is a team of specialists assembled to work on a specific goal,<ref name="akron">Template:Cite news</ref> or to solve a particular problem.<ref name="Dempsey, Davis & Williams" />

STRIDE<ref>Template:Citation</ref> is a modern evolution of the traditional tiger team concept, designed to address complex, cross-functional challenges within organizations through rapid, focused, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The acronym stands for Solutions Team for Rapid Interdisciplinary Delivery, emphasizing both the speed and collaborative nature of the initiative.

STRIDE teams are assembled to tackle urgent or high-impact problems that require expertise from multiple domains. Unlike traditional project teams, STRIDE teams have the following characteristics:

Time-bound: Formed for a specific duration to solve a defined problem.

Cross-functional: Composed of members from various departments or disciplines.

Outcome-driven: Focused on delivering actionable solutions quickly.

Empowered: Given the autonomy and resources needed to make decisions and implement changes.

Key characteristics are the following:

Agility: STRIDE teams operate with minimal bureaucracy, enabling rapid iteration and decision-making.

Diversity of Thought: By bringing together individuals with varied backgrounds and expertise in their field, STRIDE fosters innovation and holistic problem-solving.

Clear Mandate: Each team is given a specific mission, success criteria, and timeline.

Leadership Support: Executive sponsorship ensures alignment with organizational goals and access to necessary resources.

Applications

STRIDE teams have been used effectively in the following:

• Crisis response (e.g., cybersecurity breaches, public health emergencies)
• Innovation initiatives (e.g., new product development, digital transformation)
• Operational improvements (e.g., supply chain optimization, process redesign)
• Strategic pivots (e.g., entering new markets, mergers and acquisitions)

Benefits

• Accelerated problem resolution
• Enhanced collaboration across silos
• Increased employee engagement and empowerment
• Improved organizational adaptability

Origin of the term

A 1964 paper entitled Program Management in Design and Development used the term tiger teams and defined it as "a team of undomesticated and uninhibited technical specialists, selected for their experience, energy, and imagination, and assigned to track down relentlessly every possible source of failure in a spacecraft subsystem or simulation".<ref name="Dempsey, Davis & Williams">J. R. Dempsey, W. A. Davis, A. S. Crossfield, and Walter C. Williams, "Program Management in Design and Development," in Third Annual Aerospace Reliability and Maintainability Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, 1964, p. 7–8, https://doi.org/10.4271/640548.</ref> Walter C. Williams gave this definition in response to the question "How best can advancements in reliability/maintainability state-of-the-art be attained and used with compressed schedules?" Williams was an engineer at the Manned Spacecraft Center and part of the Edwards Air Force Base National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

The paper consists of anecdotes and answers to questions from a panel on improving issues in program management concerning testing and quality assurance in aerospace vehicle development and production.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The panel consisted of Williams, Col. J. R. Dempsey of General Dynamics,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lt. Gen. W. A. Davis <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> from the Ballistic Systems Div., Norton Air Force Base, A. S. Crossfield from North American Aviation.

The STRIDE model builds upon the legacy of Tiger Teams, which originated in the aerospace and defense sectors, notably during NASA's Apollo program. While Tiger Teams were often reactive—formed in response to crises—STRIDE teams are both proactive and reactive, designed to address emerging opportunities as well as urgent challenges.

The term STRIDE was coined to reflect a more structured and scalable approach to interdisciplinary problem-solving in modern organizations, particularly in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and public policy.

Examples

• A tiger team was crucial to the Apollo 13 crewed lunar mission in 1970. During the mission, part of the Apollo 13 Service Module malfunctioned and exploded.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A team of specialists led by NASA Flight and Mission Operations Director Gene Kranz<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was formed to address the resulting problems and bring the astronauts back to Earth safely. Kranz and the members of his "White Team", later designated the "Tiger Team", received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for their efforts in the Apollo 13 mission.
• In security work, a tiger team is a group that tests an organization's ability to protect its assets by attempting to defeat its physical or information security. In this context, the tiger team is often a permanent team as security is typically an ongoing priority.<ref name="ouspg">Template:Cite journal</ref> For example, one implementation of an information security tiger team approach divides the team into two co-operating groups: one for vulnerability research, which finds and researches the technical aspects of a vulnerability, and one for vulnerability management, which manages communication and feedback between the team and the organization, as well as ensuring each discovered vulnerability is tracked throughout its life-cycle and ultimately resolved.<ref name="ouspg" />
• An initiative involving tiger teams was implemented by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) under then-Secretary James D. Watkins. From 1989 through 1992 the DOE formed tiger teams to assess 35 DOE facilities for compliance with environment, safety, and health requirements. Beginning in October 1991 smaller tiger teams were formed to perform more detailed follow-up assessments to focus on the most pressing issues.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) puts together "tiger teams" of engineers and scientists from multiple NASA centers to assist solving complex problems when requested by a project or program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• In March 2025, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz mentioned the term in the leaked Signal chat regarding an anticipated strike against the Houthis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See also

• Penetration test
• Red team