Tiger Team Research Articles

ACR Presidential Address: Rheumatologists-Folks You Can Trust.

ACR Presidential Address: Rheumatologists-Folks You Can Trust.

Project Spaceman: early British computer security and automatic data processing

ABSTRACT Much has been written about the prehistory of ‘cyber’ and computer security in the United States, but we know less about other countries. This essay seeks to examine early British efforts in this field and especially attacks by ‘Tiger Teams’ against ICL mainframe computers that were being deployed by MI5 and other agencies. Over 2 years, a sophisticated programme was completed. It argues that a severe expertise shortage ensured a degree of convergence and later outsourcing to ICL. This pioneering work also paved the way for ‘Project Spaceman’ which offered government highly secure options together with encryption in the mid-1980s.

Using Rover-analogous Methodology to Discriminate between Volcanic and Sedimentary Origins in Successions Dominated by Igneous Composition

We tested rover science operations strategies to determine best practices for interrogating geologic sections where the bulk composition is igneous but depositional/emplacement processes range from sedimentary to volcanic. This scenario may mirror locations on Mars interrogated by mobile vehicles (e.g., Perseverance rover in Jezero crater). Two field teams studied a 60 m vertical outcrop on Iceland’s Tjörnes peninsula as an analog for a Martian site containing interleaved layers of sedimentary and volcanic units. A Rover team commanded a human rover to execute observations based on common Mars rover sequences; the resulting data were used to characterize the geologic history of the location. Results were compared to that of a Tiger team using traditional terrestrial field methods to interrogate the same site. The goal was to understand which instruments, at what resolution, are required to assess the provenance of volcanic or sedimentary layers of similar chemical composition. Results suggest that, in a succession dominated by rocks having basaltic composition, current rover-driven decision-making protocols are sufficient to support a first-order interpretation of a sequence of sedimentary and volcanic layers. Two crucial data sets in maximizing science return in this scenario are (1) handlens-scale images revealing grain morphology and relationships and (2) data sets that allow comparison between surface and bulk geochemistry. Certain sedimentary features can be difficult to confidently identify if not viewed at a specific angle and resolution, and confident interpretations appear to require lateral scanning of beds at meter scales. This work illuminates the need for strategic planning, particularly of resource-intensive observations.

Recommendation on Orbiting Sample Cleanliness.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration-European Space Agency (NASA-ESA) Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign involves the collection of samples on Mars by the Perseverance (Mars 2020) rover and their return to Earth. To accomplish this, the Orbiting Sample container (OS) will be sent to Mars to accommodate the collected samples then launched from Mars and returned to Earth, where the samples will be removed for examination in the Sample Return Facility (SRF). Crucial to this entire sequence will be establishment of the required level of cleanliness inside the OS. In February 2021, the NASA Headquarters' Mars Sample Return Program and Office of Planetary Protection assembled an MSR OS Tiger Team (OSTT) to discuss the appropriate cleanliness level options of the interior of the OS. The team's remit was primarily focused on evaluating the trade-offs between Planetary Protection cleanliness levels 4a and 4b. These cleanliness levels are determined by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) planetary protection regulations, where 4a requires <300 bacterial spores/m2 and <3 x 105 bacterial spores on the spacecraft (in this case, the interior of the OS) and 4b mandates the more stringent requirement of <30 bacterial spores on the spacecraft. This report documents the consensus opinion submitted by the OSTT that recommended the interior of the OS be cleaned to a 4a requirement with any feasible added effort toward 4b. This report provides, as well, the rationale for that decision.

The Impact of Human Trafficking on Veterans: Increasing Awareness among Veterans and Employees through Education

Background Health care systems serve an essential role in identifying and treating individuals impacted by human trafficking. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration recognizes that human trafficking is a public safety concern and has intentionally increased awareness of human trafficking and how it relates to Veteran care. In 2020, the VA National Social Work Program Office, Care Management and Social Work launched a national Human Trafficking Tiger Team to understand the impact of human trafficking within the Veteran community. Methods Initial Human Trafficking Tiger Team efforts focused on qualitative reviews of existing VA health care services data to identify trends and themes. A series of three trainings for VA staff including Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Psychologists (PsyD/PhD), Registered Nurses (RN), and Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC) were completed. A pre and post-test was administered to assess VA staff’s knowledge about human trafficking and the impact on the Veteran community. Results Upon examination of qualitative review of evidence, formal study is needed to develop programming to address human trafficking in the Veteran community. Discussion Further study is needed to understand the prevalence of human trafficking among the Veteran population. While the VA’s human trafficking initiatives are integral initial steps, additional research remains necessary to identify treatment needs and services gaps. Conclusion Human Trafficking Tiger Team Knowledge Needs Assessment trainings revealed that VA staff had contact with survivors of human trafficking, suspected victims, as well as traffickers. 38% of staff acknowledged missed opportunities to assess and intervene with potential trafficking victims. This revealed a clear need for standardized screening, protocols, and implementing routine training to Veterans impacted by human trafficking.

Using Satellites to Track Indicators of Global Air Pollution and Climate Change Impacts: Lessons Learned From a NASA-Supported Science-Stakeholder Collaborative.

The 2018 NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Science Team (HAQAST) “Indicators” Tiger Team collaboration between NASA‐supported scientists and civil society stakeholders aimed to develop satellite‐derived global air pollution and climate indicators. This Commentary shares our experience and lessons learned. Together, the team developed methods to track wildfires, dust storms, pollen counts, urban green space, nitrogen dioxide concentrations and asthma burdens, tropospheric ozone concentrations, and urban particulate matter mortality. Participatory knowledge production can lead to more actionable information but requires time, flexibility, and continuous engagement. Ground measurements are still needed for ground truthing, and sustained collaboration over time remains a challenge.

Army Sexual Harassment/Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Program (SHARP) Tiger Team: A Model to Inform Prevention

Sexual harassment (SH) and sexual assault (SA) are significant problems in the U.S. military that merit focused attention and targeted preventive efforts. A number of factors and attitudes associated with current military culture may foster and perpetuate the occurrence of SH/SA. The recognition of these factors and attitudes points towards a needed overhaul of military cultural attitudes and behaviors associated with acts of SH/SA. To begin to achieve the desired end-state, military leadership requires detailed information about aspects of the prevailing culture that facilitate SH/SA. The Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Tiger Team (STT) is program developed at a large Army installation in a Corps-wide effort to garner soldiers’ perspectives to inform prevention and provide actionable data to military leadership. The purpose of this paper is to: 1) describe the STT program and 2) disseminate recommendations derived from aggregated process improvement data to inform best practices and preventive activities. We identify several key takeaways relevant to preventive efforts including, modification of physical environment, intervention by charge of quarters (QCs), bystander intervention, inappropriate use of electronic media, perceptions of behavior, boundaries, leadership/unit climate, variation across units, complacency, training preferences/suggestions, and leadership support.

Case Article—A Prescription for Budget Woes at Gracious University Hospital

This case study focuses on pharmacy operations from the standpoint of the chief financial officer for Gracious University Hospital. Her charge was to reduce operational expenses on top of pre-established budget cuts. Her first order of business was to handle inventory of the automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) located on each floor of the hospital which contains a limited supply of medication supplied by the central pharmacy. In order to develop an effective inventory plan, a tiger team was developed consisting of physicians, patients, nurses, and pharmacists who developed a physical simulation competition between hospital unit floors which focused on the medication delivery process from prescription entry to medication administration. While observing the process, data would be captured and teams would attempt to derive better inventory policies for the medications kept in the ADCs. This case introduces students to healthcare operations by providing background on pharmacy medication delivery systems. The learning objectives of the case and accompanying simulation activity are to (1) explore the challenges of inventory management in healthcare (2) develop and analyze inventory policies based on data collection and observation (3) understand the impact of variability and perishability on inventory management. An electronic companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ited.2016.0159ca .

Identifying and Quantifying Benefits of Meteorological Satellites

Abstract The Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) provides an international forum for the exchange of technical information on geostationary and polar-orbiting meteorological satellite systems. In 2013, the CMGS established the Socioeconomic Benefits Tiger Team (SETT) to develop a credible methodology and common terminology for articulating the socioeconomic benefits of satellite observing systems, and to explore the most effective ways to communicate the benefits to decision makers and stakeholders. As part of its first years’ activities, the SETT gathered examples of socioeconomic studies across all member organizations. This article describes key elements of these studies, and identified eight key themes that are presented. We welcome additional collaborations to identify opportunities to incorporate socioeconomic best practices, integrate these into additional or subsequent phases of work on new instruments and satellites, and develop recommendations for the way forward for the broader meteorological community.

Testing Mars Exploration Rover-inspired operational strategies for semi-autonomous rovers on the moon II: The GeoHeuristic operational Strategies Test in Alaska

We used MER-derived semi-autonomous rover science operations strategies to determine best practices suitable for remote semi-autonomous lunar rover geology. Two field teams studied two glacial moraines as analogs for potential ice-bearing lunar regolith. At each site a Rover Team commanded a human rover to execute observations based on common MER sequences; the resulting data were used to identify and characterize targets of interest. A Tiger Team followed the Rover Team using traditional terrestrial field methods, and the results of the two teams were compared. Narrowly defined goals that can be addressed using cm-scale or coarser resolution may be met sufficiently by the operational strategies adapted from MER survey mode. When reconnaissance is the primary goal, the strategies tested are necessary but not sufficient. Further, there may be a set of optimal observations for such narrowly defined, hypothesis-driven science goals, such that collecting further data would result in diminishing returns. We confirm results of previous tests that indicated systematic observations might improve efficiency during strategic planning, and improve science output during data analysis. This strategy does not markedly improve the rate at which a science team can ingest data to feed back into tactical decision-making. Other methods should be tested to separate the strategic and tactical processes, and to build in time for data analysis.

How Global Companies are Really Led

AbstractThomas, Bellin, Jules, and Lynton interviewed 50 C‐level executives from 39 countries on five continents to learn more about the evolution of leadership at top companies. They uncovered four configurations described in more detail in the article: kitchen cabinets, tiger teams, advocates, and operators. Each “represents a pattern of behavior and roles that can be taken on for a specific purpose and period of time.” The interviewees represented such major global players as the home improvement retailers Kingfisher, the hospitality company Four Seasons, the General Electric French subsidiary Converteam, and the Indian conglomerate Tata Group.

Ventilator Associated Pneumonia: A Lean Six Sigma Tiger Team Approach to the Collection of High-Quality Respiratory Culture Samples

Ventilator Associated Pneumonia: A Lean Six Sigma Tiger Team Approach to the Collection of High-Quality Respiratory Culture Samples

Testing Mars-inspired operational strategies for semi-autonomous rovers on the Moon: The GeoHeuristic Operational Strategies Test in New Mexico.

BackgroundWe tested the science operational strategy used for the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission on Mars to determine its suitability for conducting remote geology on the Moon by conducting a field test at Cerro de Santa Clara, New Mexico. This region contains volcanic and sedimentary products from a variety of provenances, mimicking the variety that might be found at a lunar site such as South Pole-Aitken Basin.MethodAt each site a Science Team broke down observational “days” into a sequence of observations of features and targets of interest. The number, timing, and sequence of observations was chosen to mimic those used by the MERs when traversing. Images simulating high-resolution stereo and hand lens-scale images were taken using a professional SLR digital camera; multispectral and XRD data were acquired from samples to mimic the availability of geochemical data. A separate Tiger Team followed the Science Team and examined each site using traditional terrestrial field methods, facilitating comparison between what was revealed by human versus rover-inspired methods.Lessons LearnedWe conclude from this field test that MER-inspired methodology is not conducive to utilizing all acquired data in a timely manner for the case of any lunar architecture that involves the acquisition of rover data in near real-time. We additionally conclude that a methodology similar to that used for MER can be adapted for use on the Moon if mission goals are focused on reconnaissance. If the goal is to locate and identify a specific feature or material, such as water ice, a different methodology will likely be needed.

Directed-energy Models for Distributed, Synthetic Environments

Directed Energy (DE) weapons and weapons effects are not accurately modeled in a distributed simulation environment. The Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), and High Level Architecture protocols were created when DE weapons were conceptual or in the initial development stages. IEEE 1278.1a is currently being updated by the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO) DIS Product Development Group (PDG). The DE Tiger team, part of the DIS PDG, designed two new DIS PDUs for high fidelity DE distributed simulation: DE Fire and DE Damage Status. This paper presents the DE weapon modeling techniques for precision and area DE weapons as well as Gaussian beam spot modeling algorithms. This paper also presents the Advanced Concepts Event (ACE) experiment plans and results.

Modeling the Office of Science ten year facilities plan: The PERI Architecture Tiger Team

The Performance Engineering Institute (PERI) originally proposed a tiger team activity as a mechanism to target significant effort optimizing key Office of Science applications, a model that was successfully realized with the assistance of two JOULE metric teams. However, the Office of Science requested a new focus beginning in 2008: assistance in forming its ten year facilities plan. To meet this request, PERI formed the Architecture Tiger Team, which is modeling the performance of key science applications on future architectures, with S3D, FLASH and GTC chosen as the first application targets. In this activity, we have measured the performance of these applications on current systems in order to understand their baseline performance and to ensure that our modeling activity focuses on the right versions and inputs of the applications. We have applied a variety of modeling techniques to anticipate the performance of these applications on a range of anticipated systems. While our initial findings predict that Office of Science applications will continue to perform well on future machines from major hardware vendors, we have also encountered several areas in which we must extend our modeling techniques in order to fulfill our mission accurately and completely. In addition, we anticipate that models of a wider range of applications will reveal critical differences between expected future systems, thus providing guidance for future Office of Science procurement decisions, and will enable DOE applications to exploit machines in future facilities fully.

WebSphere Portal 6.1

IBM’s Portal technology continues to evolve as a powerful infrastructure for integrating the IT landscape, by presenting it as a consolidated view to the user community. The new capabilities of WebSphere Portal 6.1 are the outcome of a world-wide development team, which focused on this release for the past 2 years. During that time major architectural enhancements have been introduced and a significant amount of code was written. In this article the authors will describe how developers and testers have adopted agile principles to collaborate across the globe. In detail, aspects like an iterative approach, test driven development, budget based prioritization and cross-organization teaming will be discussed. The authors will also cover how “tiger teams” interact with customers by making early code drops available and responding to feedback.

Doctors of Interrogation

are busy with a little here. But our friend is taking some strain. He says he can't breathe properly. Could you just take a look at him?... [I]s he faking it?... In your opinion, as a doctor, how much more can he take? --DAMON GALGUT, THE GOOD DOCTOR These questions were addressed to a young South African army doctor as he stood before a bruised . man who was lying on the floor and breathing heavily. doctor had been conscripted, given the rank of lieutenant, and assigned to a small field hospital near the Angolan border. Until that moment, his responsibilities had been limited to care: treating the sick or wounded. But now he had been summoned by the camp commandant to perform a different task, one that would haunt him for years to come. doctor considered the questions insane,... the measuring points of an world in which doctors are called upon, not to heal and repair, but to assist in the calculated demolition of nerves and flesh. But the glare of the commandant's dead eyes reminded the doctor what was being asked of him. He told himself. The man on the floor is an enemy, who will in any case not last the night. is myself I must look after. doctor provided the assurance requested (He won't die yet), was amiably thanked for his advice, and permitted to depart. In the days that followed, his guilt was subdued by rationalization: It would have made no difference. You didn't have a choice. You only answered the question. This is a fictitious account of the so-called dark art of in the darkest days of Apartheid. But factual counterparts abound. There are numerous reports of real doctors in grim inverted worlds where they are no longer called upon to heal. (1) Most recently, there has been mounting evidence of complicity in abusive at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. (2) These revelations give Galgut's story greater resonance. Voices that address the legal, ethical, and practical ramifications of involvement in are vital to any discussion of this topic. However, the voices of American physicians complicit in aggressive interrogations have--perhaps not surprisingly--been absent from the debate. Literature--which is neither muted by the fear of speaking out nor silenced by orders from superiors--may remind us what is at stake when we bring physicians into interrogation. Contours of Physician Participation Although we do not yet have a complete picture of the involvement of physicians in at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, its contours have been clearly sketched. We know that in late 2002, a behavioral science consultation team--an entity staffed by a psychiatrist and a psychologist and known colloquially as a Biscuit--was established in Guantanamo Bay to assist with the of detainees. We also know that in late 2003, another Biscuit was established at Abu Ghraib on the recommendation of Major General Geoffrey Miller--then camp commander at Guantanamo--who considered the team essential in developing integrated strategies and assessing intelligence production. (3) At both facilities, one-way mirrors were installed that would have enabled personnel to monitor interrogations without being in the room. (4) And army records show that psychologists sometimes sat in on interrogations. (5) According to Colonel Thomas Pappas, head of military intelligence (MI) at Abu Ghraib, a worked alongside the psychiatrist. In his testimony to the Taguba inquiry, Pappas explained that military intelligence teams--also known as tiger teams--prepare individual interrogation plans for detainees, including a sleep plan and medical standards, and that a physician and psychiatrist ... are on hand to monitor what we are doing. (6) He told the inquiry that [t]he doctor and the psychiatrist . …

Doctors of Interrogation

"We are busy with a little interrogation here. But our friend is taking some strain. He says he can't breathe properly. Could you just take a look at him?... [I]s he faking it?... In your opinion, as a doctor, how much more can he take?" --DAMON GALGUT, THE GOOD DOCTOR These questions were addressed to a young South African army doctor as he stood before a bruised . man who was lying on the floor and breathing heavily. The doctor had been conscripted, given the rank of lieutenant, and assigned to a small field hospital near the Angolan border. Until that moment, his responsibilities had been limited to medical care: treating the sick or wounded. But now he had been summoned by the camp commandant to perform a different task, one that would haunt him for years to come. The doctor considered the questions "insane,... the measuring points of an inverted world" in which doctors are called upon, not to "heal and repair," but to assist in the "calculated demolition of nerves and flesh." But the glare of the commandant's "dead eyes" reminded the doctor what was being asked of him. He told himself." "The man on the floor is an enemy, who will in any case not last the night. It is myself I must look after." The doctor provided the assurance requested ("He won't die yet"), was amiably thanked for his advice, and permitted to depart. In the days that followed, his guilt was subdued by rationalization: "It would have made no difference. You didn't have a choice. You only answered the question." This is a fictitious account of the so-called "dark art of interrogation" in the darkest days of Apartheid. But factual counterparts abound. There are numerous reports of real doctors in grim "inverted worlds" where they are no longer called upon to heal. (1) Most recently, there has been mounting evidence of physician complicity in abusive interrogation at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. (2) These revelations give Galgut's story greater resonance. Voices that address the legal, ethical, and practical ramifications of physician involvement in interrogation are vital to any discussion of this topic. However, the voices of American physicians complicit in aggressive interrogations have--perhaps not surprisingly--been absent from the debate. Literature--which is neither muted by the fear of speaking out nor silenced by orders from superiors--may remind us what is at stake when we bring physicians into interrogation. The Contours of Physician Participation Although we do not yet have a complete picture of the involvement of physicians in interrogation at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, its contours have been clearly sketched. We know that in late 2002, a behavioral science consultation team--an entity staffed by a psychiatrist and a psychologist and known colloquially as a "Biscuit"--was established in Guantanamo Bay to assist with the interrogation of detainees. We also know that in late 2003, another Biscuit was established at Abu Ghraib on the recommendation of Major General Geoffrey Miller--then camp commander at Guantanamo--who considered the team "essential in developing integrated interrogation strategies and assessing interrogation intelligence production." (3) At both facilities, one-way mirrors were installed that would have enabled medical personnel to monitor interrogations without being in the interrogation room. (4) And army records show that psychologists sometimes sat in on interrogations. (5) According to Colonel Thomas Pappas, head of military intelligence (MI) at Abu Ghraib, a physician worked alongside the psychiatrist. In his testimony to the Taguba inquiry, Pappas explained that military intelligence teams--also known as "tiger teams"--prepare individual "interrogation plans" for detainees, including a "sleep plan" and "medical standards," and that a "physician and psychiatrist ... are on hand to monitor what we are doing." (6) He told the inquiry that "[t]he doctor and the psychiatrist . …

Project troubleshooting: Tiger teams for reactive risk management

This publication contains reprint articles for which IEEE does not hold copyright. Full text is not available on IEEE Xplore for these articles.

NIBCO’S “BIG BANG”

NIBCO, Inc., a mid-sized manufacturer of valves and pipe fittings headquartered in the U.S. with $460 million annual revenues, implemented SAP R/3 across its 10 plants and 4 new distribution centers with a Big Bang approach in December 1997. NIBCO management agreed with the Boston Consulting Group recommendation to cut loose from its existing legacy systems and replace them with common, integrated systems for finance, materials management, production, and sales/distribution, such as offered in the ERP packages of major vendors by the second half of the 1990s. However, the company leaders chose not to heed the advice of their consultants, or the current trade press, about taking a slower, phased-in approach. Instead, they developed plans for a Big Bang implementation of all modules (except HR) with a $17 million budget and a project completion date 15 months later that allowed for only a 30-day grace period. The project is led by a triad of NIBCO managers with primary accountabilities for business process, IT, and change management. The case describes the legacy IT environment, the ERP purchase and implementation partner choices, the selection and composition of what came to be called the TIGER team, the workspace design for the project team (TIGER den), the key issues addressed by each project sub-team, the incentive scheme, and the complexity added by a distribution center consolidation initiative that runs behind schedule. The case story ends shortly after the Go Live date, with the project leaders replaying their warnings to the executive team about initial dips in productivity and profits. Editor’s Note: This case was the winner of Best Teaching Case award at the International Conference on Information Systems, 2000 that was held December 11-13 in Brisbane Australia. This article will also be published in: Martin, E.W., C.V. Brown, D.W. DeHayes, J.A. Hoffer, and W.C. Perkins. Managing Information Technology, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, 2001.