Rethink Engineering: Kaihan Krippendorff on Strategy, AI, and the Fourth Option

Engineering Influence from ACEC

At the ACEC 2025 Fall Conference in San Diego, McKinsey alum and OutThinkers podcast host Kaihan Krippendorff discusses how to "think differently" in an era of rapid technological change and AI. He shares his OutThinking framework for strategy and decision-making and explains the importance of the "job to be done" using examples like Apple and the MP3 revolution.

Kaihan argues leaders should redefine what their firm truly does (focus on outcomes, not just technical deliverables), coordinate ecosystem partners, and create cultures that activate internal entrepreneurs. He emphasizes practical steps: imagine different futures, expand option sets, choose and test ideas, and build buy-in while accepting that many bets will fail but a few will pay off.

Practical takeaways include reframing your business around customer outcomes, partnering across the ecosystem, and encouraging experimentation inside the firm.