Book Discussion: Crisis Engineering

One Off Event: Please join us to discuss the book Crisis Engineering.
Please feel free to bring your dinner. Snacks and drinks provided.

I felt there was a lot to unpack in this book. I came into this book with unrealistically high expectations. What were you hoping to get out of the book? What did you get out of the book? What questions do you still have?
Looking forward to discussing Crisis Engineering.
We also will be online through discord. GemCityTECH Discord

From "Crisis Engineering":
* Crisis Engineering: Time-Tested Tools for Turning Chaos Into Clarity
Book by Marina Nitze, Matthew Weaver, and Mikey Dickerson
Crisis Engineering is a practical guide for leaders on how to manage and leverage crises for positive change, offering a toolkit for understanding complex systems and driving transformation. The book, set for release in April 2026, draws on the authors' experience in tech and government (including the [HealthCare.gov](https://www.healthcare.gov/) rescue and the US Digital Service) to provide actionable strategies for moving beyond simply surviving a crisis to fundamentally improving an organization.
Key themes and concepts

• Crisis as opportunity:
  The book argues that crises are unique moments for deep, meaningful change that are otherwise difficult to achieve.
• Beyond traditional leadership:
  It challenges conventional leadership instincts under pressure, offering alternatives for when systems break down.
• Practical toolkit:
  It provides concrete methods for identifying crisis signals, understanding the underlying systems, and implementing solutions.
• Real-world experience:
  The authors, veterans of major tech and government crises, share insights from their work at places like Google, the VA, and the White House.

What to expect

• How to identify crisis signals: Learn to spot the early signs of a meltdown.
• How to act under pressure: Discover what to do when traditional approaches fail.
• How to build a crisis response: Learn to stand up your own crisis engineering effort.
• The three outcomes of crisis: Understand the choices organizations face: durable change, death, or rationalizing failure into a new normal.