Working group facts for kids

A working group is a team of experts who come together to achieve specific goals. These groups usually focus on one particular topic or area. They discuss ideas and work on projects related to that subject. Sometimes, a working group can also be a mix of researchers from different fields working on new projects that might be hard to fund in the usual ways.

A working group can last for a few months or even several years. Sometimes, they might keep going even after their main task is done. That's why it's important to officially end the group once it has reached its goals.

In a working group, each person is responsible for their own results. In big organizations, working groups are common, and the focus is often on individual goals and what each person achieves. Members of a working group usually don't take responsibility for results other than their own. On the other hand, a "team" needs everyone to be responsible for both their own work and the group's work together. Teams share more information, have more discussions, and make decisions as a group.

Working groups often have goals like:

• Creating a helpful document.
• Setting a new standard.
• Solving problems with a system or network.
• Making things better all the time (this is called continuous improvement).
• Doing research.

Working groups are also sometimes called task groups, workgroups, or technical advisory groups.

What Kinds of Working Groups Are There?

The type of working group depends on its main purpose. This purpose can be technical, artistic (like for music), or administrative.

Administrative Working Groups

These groups are set up by leaders higher up in an organization. They have two main jobs:

• To develop ideas and get everyone to agree on decisions.
• To make sure different parts of the organization work well together. When people work together to understand problems, plan actions, and develop strategies, they build a shared commitment to common goals.

For example, the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs is a group of twelve government agencies in the U.S. Its job is to help young people achieve good results, especially those who might be at risk. This group was officially started on February 7, 2008, by a special order called Executive Order 13459.

Quality circles are another type of administrative group. They are a way to make work better for people, instead of treating workers like robots. Quality circles can help make workers' or students' lives richer. They also help create a good atmosphere and high performance. Common topics for these groups include making workplaces safer, improving product designs, and making manufacturing processes better.

Musical Working Groups

While any artist can benefit from a working group, it's especially helpful for musicians who play for recordings or tours (called session players). Musicians face challenges like touring and recording sessions. These activities can make it hard to build the strong connection needed to keep a musical working group together.

However, musical working groups can be very rewarding for everyone involved. They help new and creative ideas to grow. When musicians work together often, they get to know each other's music styles. This builds trust and helps them play more freely and creatively.

Some famous musical working groups include:

• Abdullah Ibrahim Trio
• Alex von Schlippenbach Trio
• Dave Holland (Trio, Quartet, or Quintet)
• Die Like A Dog Quartet
• Gary Bartz Quartet
• Vandermark 5
• William Parker Quartet (Trio/Quartet)

Technical Working Groups

In many technical organizations, like those that create standards, the groups that meet and make decisions are called "working groups." Some examples are:

• IEC working groups
• IETF working groups (these are part of bigger areas)
  • HTTP WG, which was first led by Dave Raggett
• IEEE-SA working groups
  • IEEE WG802.3, the Ethernet Working Group
  • IEEE WG802.11, the Wireless LAN Working Group
• ISO working groups (these are part of subcommittees, which are part of technical committees)
• International Conference on Harmonisation
• International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
• International Astronomical Union
• W3C working groups
  • Device Description Working Group
  • SVG Working Group
• Bioethics Council
• Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS)
• European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS)
• US National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

Sometimes, a whole group might call itself a "working group," like the Printer Working Group.

The rules for who can join these groups and how they make decisions can be very different from one organization to another.

How Working Groups Operate

It's very important for everyone in a working group to understand that it's a place for teamwork and participation. People in the group represent the interests and ideas of different parts of the community. These parts have a special interest in what the working group achieves. So, keeping strong communication with everyone involved is key. This means both ways: the people interested in the group's work should also share their information and knowledge.

Any programs or projects developed by the group should be checked by asking for ideas and support from the community. This helps make sure the projects meet what the community wants for its future. The working group should also regularly ask the community for feedback on their projects. Good questions to ask during these meetings include:

• What were the goals of the program?
• What were the results of the project?
• How did the results affect the problem we were trying to solve?
• Were there any unexpected results, good or bad?
• How were the results achieved? Did we use the original methods, or did they change as we worked?
• Did we use community resources well?
• Should we change our goals or methods?

Depending on how long the working group is expected to last, the people involved usually meet at least once a year. However, these meetings might happen more often, like every semester or every three months.

Leaders are always making decisions to solve problems. Making decisions and solving problems are ongoing processes. They involve looking at situations, thinking about different choices, picking the best one, and then taking the necessary actions. This helps to achieve continuous improvement.

See also

Images for kids

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  A U.S. House of Representatives working group on addiction (2019)