Project Deep Dive: Part 3: Selection

As part of our Lab Software Projects Deep Dive series, #TeamKC is addressing the various project types we work on and how we help biotechs feel more confident when working with their laboratory software.

In Part 3, we examine the laboratory software selection process and why finding the "best" fit is more important than searching for a mythical "perfect" solution.

Selecting a new laboratory software system is a critical step for setting your lab up for sustained success. Whether it be an ELN or LIMS, this process entails close collaboration with your science and IT teams to understand needs, wants, and user experience, followed by designing a strategy to integrate them with complex reporting tools, data warehouses, and even ERP systems.

Embracing Flexibility & Adaptability

No two labs are the same, whether they are biotech, clinical, or environmental. From a scientific perspective, that's a great thing for innovation and progress. But from a technical perspective, this can make it difficult for vendor-designed software systems to fit each and every lab perfectly. With almost all of our clients, specific edge cases exist that even the "best" systems are unable to accommodate without added custom work. These exceptions can have substantial impacts on our configuration strategies, so it's important to consider and discuss them upfront to prevent constraints further down the road. The more open to change your lab is now, the more beneficial your data architecture will be in the long run.

Balancing Wants & Needs Across Teams

What we see often in labs with multiple teams is that users don't always agree on technical priorities immediately. A feature that's considered critical for one team might be seen as nonessential by another. For example, an IT person might think the system should have highly configurable user permissions and the ability to restrict access extensively, but scientists at a small biotech need more flexibility for on-the-go work. Karchem Consulting finds not only the common ground, but also helps align on what requirements will help for long-term growth. These requirements can even change over the course of a project as users start to test drive the new system. A workflow or result table demo session leads to reshaped priorities much more frequently than our clients realize. Designing a solution that satisfies everyone can be a challenge, and achieving alignment on these decisions can sometimes take longer than expected.

Checking Off Boxes Is As Important As The User Component

• Will the system automate my lab's data entry?

• Can it handle my lab's specific assay workflows?

• Can it connect to my lab's instruments?

Finding a system that checks all the boxes on paper is a great start, but the selection process doesn't stop there. Considering the end-user experience of a laboratory software system is just as important as having key features. Involving scientists in the process as early and often as possible is always a priority for Karchem. At the end of the day, the most efficient system that also meets your needs will serve your lab far better than the most attractive one will.

Once we’ve completed the selection process, it’s time to implement your lab’s new system. In Part 4 of our Lab Software Reality Checks series, we'll discuss system implementation, the role we’ll continue to play after go-live, and the importance of change management. 

Ready to transform your lab's data infrastructure? Contact us at Karchem Consulting today to get started.