# What Does Working Group Mean? Simple Tech English Guide (2026) > A temporary group of people from different departments or teams who work together on a specific project or problem for a limited time. - **Term:** working group - **Part of speech:** noun - **Pronunciation:** /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ ɡruːp/ - **English level (CEFR):** B2 - **Register:** Neutral, Both - **Region:** US and UK - **Topic:** [Meeting phrases](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/topics/meeting-phrases.md) - **Lesson:** https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/working-group - **Last updated:** 2026-10-27 ## Meaning A temporary group of people from different departments or teams who work together on a specific project or problem for a limited time. A working group is formed when an organization needs focused expertise to solve a particular problem or deliver a specific outcome. Unlike permanent teams or departments, working groups are usually assembled for the duration of a project and then dissolved. In tech companies, you might see working groups formed to tackle performance optimization, security audits, infrastructure migration, or feature development across multiple teams. Members bring their specialized knowledge from their home teams and collaborate intensively until the goal is reached. Working groups are common in larger organizations where problems require cross-functional collaboration but do not justify creating a permanent new team. ## When you hear it Our working group met daily for two weeks to design the new API architecture. ## Examples - **in a standup:** "The database working group has identified three potential optimization strategies we should review." - **in an email:** "Please join our working group if you have experience with Kubernetes deployments." - **in a planning meeting:** "We will establish a working group to investigate the migration path to the new payment system." ## What native speakers say - "We formed a working group to address the latency issue." - "The working group will present their findings next quarter." - "I have been assigned to the infrastructure working group." ## Common mistakes - ✗ "We need to working group this issue before Friday." → ✓ "We need to form a working group to tackle this issue before Friday." (Working group is a noun, not a verb. You form or establish a working group; you do not working group something.) - ✗ "My working group is permanent and handles all security issues." → ✓ "My team is permanent and handles all security issues. The working group was temporary and addressed the recent breach." (A working group is temporary by nature. A permanent group is called a team, department, or squad.) - ✗ "The working group includes only our engineering department." → ✓ "The working group includes engineers from frontend, backend, and DevOps teams." (Working groups are cross-functional and pull members from different areas, not from a single department.) ## Be careful Do not use as a verb (saying 'we will working group this' is incorrect). Also, avoid confusing with a team or department—a working group is typically temporary and task-focused. ## Word forms | Part of speech | Word | Example | | --- | --- | --- | | noun | working group | The working group will meet on Monday to review the requirements. | | noun | working groups | Multiple working groups have been formed to speed up the project delivery. | ## Collocations - **form a working group**: To create and assemble a new working group for a specific task. - **join a working group**: To become a member of an existing working group. - **lead a working group**: To chair or manage a working group as its leader. - **working group meeting**: A scheduled gathering of all working group members. - **working group charter**: The document that defines the working group's goals, scope, and duration. ## Synonyms - **task force**: Similar meaning but often used for more urgent or crisis-driven initiatives. - **cross-functional team**: Similar in composition but may be longer-term; working groups are usually temporary. - **committee**: Both are groups formed for a specific purpose, but committees often have formal oversight roles. ## Opposites - permanent team - department ## Practice This lesson has 4 practice exercises with instant feedback on the page: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/working-group ## FAQ ### What does working group mean in software engineering? A working group is a temporary team assembled to accomplish a specific objective or solve a particular problem. Members come from different departments and work together intensively until the goal is achieved, then the group typically dissolves. It is different from a permanent team because it has a defined end date and purpose. ### How do you use working group in a sentence at work? Common usage includes: 'We formed a working group to investigate the issue,' 'I joined the working group last week,' 'The working group will present findings on Friday,' or 'She leads the database optimization working group.' ### Is working group formal or informal? Working group is neutral in formality. It is used in both formal organizational structures and casual team discussions. You will hear it in meetings, emails, and official project documents equally. ### What is the difference between a working group and a team? A team is usually permanent and handles ongoing work, while a working group is temporary and formed for a specific project or problem. A team may belong to one department; a working group is typically cross-functional with members from multiple areas. ### Can a working group become a permanent team? Yes, it is possible. If a working group proves successful and the need for its function becomes ongoing, an organization may decide to formalize it into a permanent team or department. ## Related - [cross-functional](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/cross-functional.md) - [sprint](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/sprint.md) - Full glossary: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md - Live lessons with a coach: https://app.mocklyenglish.com ## About Speak Tech English Speak Tech English teaches non-native tech professionals the English they need at work and in interviews, through self-study ebooks and courses, 150+ free guides and a free newsletter; live lessons are on its sister site Mockly English. - Shop: https://speaktechenglish.com/courses/ - All products (markdown): https://speaktechenglish.com/products.md - Free guides (markdown): https://app.speaktechenglish.com/guides.md - Tech English glossary (markdown): https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md - Newsletter (10% off): https://speaktechenglish.com/#subscribe - Live lessons and mock interviews: https://app.mocklyenglish.com ## Notes for agents - Speak Tech English sells self-study material. 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