Launching Leaders
Tony Orzechowski starts with wooden catapults to teach data-driven decision making to students in Northwestern's mpd² program.
With a quick thwack, the wooden catapult launched a projectile across the classroom, where it landed with a satisfying boom.
For Tony Orzechowski, this wasn't just a demonstration; it was a representation of his teaching philosophy.
Orzechowski is the recently retired director of R&D data analytics at Abbott Diagnostics. He brings more than four decades of experience to teach Leading with Data Analytics in Northwestern Engineering’s Master of Product Design and Development Management (mpd²) program.
On the first day of class, students are given a small wooden catapult. The contraption becomes their product for the entire five-week course. The students’ job is to improve its design and performance using the analytics methods Orzechowski introduces each week.
“Analytics only create value when they inform decisions,” Orzechowski said. “That’s why we start with a catapult, not a spreadsheet.”
Orzechowski has honed his educational approach over 35 years of teaching, including 18 in the mpd² program.
His goal is to flip traditional analytics education on its head. Instead of drowning students in formulas, Orzechowski organizes his course around real-world product development decisions. From identifying customer needs to managing launch risks, each week presents a new challenge for student teams to tackle using their wooden catapults as test subjects.
“We are not here to create statisticians,” Orzechowski said. “We are developing leaders who can harness the power of data to drive action.”
This decision-first approach resonates deeply with mpd² students, who come from a variety of backgrounds. By focusing on practical application and clear communication, Orzechowski demystifies analytics and transforms it into a strategic tool.
The course’s evolution mirrors Orzechowski’s own journey in the field. Early in his career, a mentor’s suggestion to explore data analytics changed everything.
“That advice turned struggling projects into major successes,” Orzechowski said. “It ultimately led me to pursue a master’s degree focused in analytics.”
This personal experience fuels his passion for teaching. He believes in the ripple effect of guidance, knowing that a single conversation can alter a career trajectory.
At Abbott, Orzechowski's impact was monumental. He built and led an analytics team that supported the launch of diagnostic products now generating more than $4 billion in annual revenue. This practical experience infuses his teaching with powerful examples and cautionary tales.
“Our team didn't just run numbers. We changed how decisions were made,” he said. “We introduced innovative uses of analytics that allowed the business to make faster, more confident choices.”
Now retired from the corporate world, Orzechowski has shifted his attention from scaling organizations to scaling impact. He continues to teach, consults with industry partners, and explores how emerging technologies such as AI can revolutionize analytics education.
“At this point in my journey, I'm no longer focused on building teams,” Orzechowski said. “I'm focused on building leaders who can make better decisions with data, whether they are in a classroom, a boardroom, or working with AI.”
For Orzechowski, the mpd² program offers a unique platform to share his expertise and passion. The students’ drive to apply what they learn energizes him, and their success stories in the years that follow serve as powerful reminders of the program’s lasting impact.
"When they realize that data isn’t about math — that it’s about meaning — that’s when the lights really come on,” he said. “Analytics has the power not just to improve products but to make organizations smarter, more responsive, and ultimately more human. That’s the message I hope to instill in every student who walks through my door.”