ANALYTICAL & LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
DON’T JUST FOLLOW THE TRENDS Labs are advised against undertaking a digital transformation project solely because other labs are. Te most successful projects are those with clear business objectives behind them, so make sure these objectives are in place before embarking on a project.
UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITIES What are the digital transformation goals, and which workflows or processes need to be digitised first to achieve those goals? Tere could be a long list, but by prioritising them according to the business’ needs, you will facilitate a smoother digital transformation that lasts.
CHOOSE YOUR DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CAREFULLY Choosing the right lab system for an organisation has also been centred on the user requirements and their relative priorities and balancing the sometimes conflicting needs of the various workflows involved. Tese traditional selection factors are joined by the need to consider how the system fits in to the overall digital transformation ‘platform’.
ASSEMBLE A SUITABLE TEAM Ensure your team is invested in the project’s success, has the management skills and experience needed to see digital transformation through to ‘completion’. Regardless of the scale of the digital lab transformation, your team will need to call on a number of different skillsets from project / program management, business leadership, business analysis, system architects and laboratory subject matter experts. Getting the correct team in place is an important step, as it could be said that digital transformation is a continuous process that needs constant review.
Digital transformation improves processes for scientists
CONSIDER SEEKING EXTERNAL HELP Managing a digital transformation project is a significant task and, if the team has little or no prior experience of such a project, support from an external consultancy group with a laboratory focus, technical competency and relevant experience can help ensure success. Te right consultants will offer valuable insights from other successful digital transformations and, by fully integrating with the internal team, can pass on some of this valuable knowledge.
THE DIGITAL LAB OF THE FUTURE Digital technology means not only allowing scientists to achieve more in the lab by improving processes, but is about helping organisations achieve their wider business objectives, for example speeding up drug candidates research through to development. Experts predict that by 2026, two-
Digital processes underpin continuity
thirds of life science companies will adopt the ‘intelligent lab of the future’ model by leveraging digital transformation and integrating the IoLT.3 With digitalisation seemingly inevitable in this sector, the upcoming focus will be on how to successfully implement new informatics solutions and make sure they continue to serve the lab and the business as technology evolves in the future. To do so, organisations should be continually reviewing whether their approach to
digitalising lab processes is working and meeting their objectives, and what they can do differently if it isn’t. To support long-term success, informatics consultants such as Scimcon are well placed to offer knowledge of the most suitable approaches for each lab’s specific needs, and how to work within the project team to effectively implement digital solutions. Rather than take over the project completely, consultants can make recommendations on how to utilise the talents and the resources within the department or team – but this is only possible with open communication and a degree of flexibility to adapt to any unexpected bumps in the road, with a clear eye on future success.
REFERENCES 1. Digital Transformation in the Lab: Bridging Analog Islands in a Digital Ocean, Accenture LifeSciences, 2020. 2. Overcome Data Challenges With Data-As-A- Service, Forrester Consulting, April 2021. 3. IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Life Sciences: 2022 Predictions, IDC FutureScape, Oct 2021. https://
www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=US48292121 [Accessed 02/03/22]
Geoff Parker is co-founder of Scimcon.
www.scimcon.com
www.scientistlive.com 9
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