Optimizing Your Lab Space for a LIMS Implementation

In this series, we break down how to prepare your lab for digital transformation, focusing on a few key areas to ensure success. From setting up your physical lab space to ensuring efficient inventory management to organizing your operational data, beginning sooner rather than later can save time, effort, and resources down the line.

Deploying a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) can boost your quality control (QC) lab’s productivity. However, you should keep in mind the adage that automating bad processes will only give you bad results faster. Undertaking a LIMS initiative requires effort and will change the way your organization works. Prior to setting up the system, there are things you can do to prepare your project for success, including the space in which you will be operating. In this piece, we outline the steps for setting up your physical lab and how to optimize your lab space for a LIMS implementation.

Setting Up Your Physical Lab

Below are some questions to consider as you set up your physical lab space:

Does your lab layout allow for optimal workflow?

Addressing workflow issues now will be easier than after the LIMS is deployed. Think about the volume of each type of sample that comes into the lab and which instruments are required. Having all your balances in one area and particle size analyzers in another area might make sense on paper but could lead to a lot of walking for the analysts. Could this be improved by grouping instruments that are commonly used together? An interesting way to analyze this is by following an analyst for a day and marking with a line on a diagram of the lab everywhere they go. If you end up with what looks like a pile of spaghetti, think about reorganizing.

How well are your storage areas organized?

Consider this for all the areas that house samples and supplies. To effectively manage inventory, your LIMS solution will need to know where things are stored and how much there is. Are your storage areas well-defined, and is it clear what should be in each area? Are there old/excess samples or materials that can be disposed of? If this seems like a big effort, put together a schedule to address it over time. A series of “5S” events is a lean tool used to gain visual control over an area – its components are “Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.” This is a great way to get the team involved so they have ownership over keeping the space orderly in the future.

Is the workspace prepared for the technology to be deployed?

Ensuring your workspace is prepared for deploying the LIMS solution is key. Some things you might want to consider before deployment include:

- Workstations: Identify the places where workstations will need to be deployed for access to the LIMS. This should include an analysis of the available space and the types of equipment to be deployed (e.g. PCs, tablets, etc.).
- Printer locations: Determine how many printers you will need in the lab and the footprint they will occupy. If you intend to introduce barcoding, think about where the barcode printers will need to be located. As part of this analysis, you should consider the workflow and layout of the lab.
- Network / Electrical: Make sure the infrastructure is in place to provide network access and electricity for the workstations and printers. If you intend to utilize a wireless network, evaluate the signal strength and address areas with weak coverage – you may need to install additional access points to improve coverage.