#18 Borja Menéndez and Zohar Strinka: Advent of OR & the Informs Analytics Framework

The Decision Intelligence Lab

In this special holiday episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab Podcast, Vijay welcomes back the show’s first-ever returning guests: Borja Menéndez, creator of Advent of OR, and Zohar Strinka, a lead contributor to the INFORMS Analytics Framework. Together, they explore two major initiatives released in 2024 that aim to reshape how the next generation of operations research (OR) and analytics professionals learn and practice.

Together, the guests and host dive deep into why OR is NOT just math, why curiosity is essential, how user engagement changes everything, and how practitioners learn to build systems that actually solve decision problems — not just elegant models.

Timestamps

0:00 - Preview & Intro

1:22 - What Is the Advent of OR?

3:45 - Introducing the INFORMS Analytics Framework

6:06 - OR isn't Just Math

10:10 - Skills Developed in the 2025 Advent of OR

12:10 - How Advent of OR Supports CAP Prep

14:21 - Why OR Must Teach Systems & Engineering

16:20 - The Consultant View: Building Real Systems

18:00 - Experiencing & Becoming a User Yourself

22:53 - Curiosity as a Core OR Skill

23:55 - How Borja Designs Advent of OR Challenges

26:00 - How to Learn More About the INFORMS Framework & CAP

27:22 - How to Join Advent of OR 2025

29:00 - Closing Thoughts

Follow the show

Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-decision-intelligence-lab/id1811085064⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0lFoAVKqJHTYSZNpeN61ou?si=0ae973aab0174b3b⁠

Resources Mentioned:

1. Advent of OR - Sign-up page for the annual 24-day challenge - https://adventofor.com

2. INFORMS Analytics Framework - https://www.informs.org/Professional-Development/Professional-Development-Classes/INFORMS-Analytics-Framework

3. Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) Certification - https://www.certifiedanalytics.org/

4. Decision Intelligence Lab Podcast (Substack) - https://decisionintelligencelab.substack.com

Connect with the guest

Borja Menéndez Moreno: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/borjamenendezmoreno/

Zohar Strinka: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zohar-strinka/

Connect with hosts

Prof. Vijay Mehrotra (University of San Francisco): https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijay-mehrotra-ba9498/⁠

Prof. Michael Watson (Northwestern University): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-watson-07600a1⁠

About the podcast

The Decision Intelligence Lab podcast delivers real-world insights for data professionals, business leaders, and anyone seeking to leverage data & AI for smarter decision-making & successful business outcomes.

For business inquiries, email at ⁠[email protected]⁠