Solving Complex Problems with Speed and Agility: The Power of Tiger Teams
In the fast-paced world of tech, problems can arise at any moment, requiring swift and effective solutions. Some issues may be deeply ingrained, necessitating a significant investment of time and resources. Others may be critical and time-sensitive, demanding the expertise of diverse individuals across the organization. As a product manager, it’s essential to identify when these problems might occur and determine the type of talent required to fix them within a limited timeframe.
What is a Tiger Team?
A tiger team is a group of experts and specialists from various fields and functions who collaborate to solve a specific, high-priority problem. This concept originated in the 1960s and 1970s in military contexts and was popularized by NASA’s tiger team, which played a crucial role in saving the Apollo 13 mission. In an agile context, a tiger team’s purpose is to break down silos and facilitate closer collaboration, enabling timely problem-solving within a short timeframe.
When to Use a Tiger Team vs. a Task Force
While both terms may sound similar, a tiger team and a task force are not interchangeable. Task forces are larger, cross-functional groups formed to tackle long-term projects, whereas tiger teams are focused on resolving immediate, critical problems with their specific expertise. The choice between the two depends on the nature of the problem, its urgency, and the scope of the resolution.
Benefits of Running a Tiger Team
The benefits of running a tiger team are numerous:
- Increased Collaboration: A tiger team brings together diverse experts, fostering collaboration and leveraging each other’s distinct skills to solve time-critical problems.
- Improved Responsiveness: Tiger teams are designed to respond quickly to priority issues, allowing organizations to address critical problems without disrupting day-to-day operations.
- Rapid Innovation: By running in parallel with day-to-day teams, tiger teams can achieve innovation outcomes at a rapid pace, thanks to increased collaboration and focus.
Key Steps to Take to Solve a Problem with a Tiger Team
As a product manager, your role is to guide the experts, lead discussions, and ensure effective collaboration to solve the issue or answer the research question. The following steps can help:
- Conduct Lightning Analysis or Discovery: Collaborate with your team to gain a deep understanding of the problem.
- Identify Leading Assumptions or Causes: Based on your analysis, pinpoint the root causes of the issue.
- Develop Scoped Spikes or Prototypes: Validate the issue or research question through prototyping or testing.
- Outline Potential Solutions: Based on the outcome of the spikes or feedback, outline potential solutions.
- Make a Decision and Implement: Choose a solution and implement it, gathering the team for a post-mortem and documenting results.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
To ensure the success of a tiger team, avoid the following common pitfalls:
- Losing Focus and Vision: Ensure each member’s views are respected while maintaining the overall drive and focus.
- Overloading the Team: Delegate tasks and ensure a manageable workload to keep the team nimble and focused.
- Scope Creep: Establish clear boundaries to prevent scope creep and keep the team on track.
By following these guidelines, you can set up and manage a successful tiger team, empowering your organization to tackle time-critical problems and drive innovation.