How to successfully integrate an ELN to the lab’s processes
5 min read
Case study by Ingenza, United Kingdom, a biotechnology company specialising in the design, development and manufacture of diverse, high-value industrial products and therapeutic-proteins.
About Ingenza Ltd
Ingenza is a biotechnology company specialising in the design, development and manufacture of diverse, high-value industrial products and therapeutic-proteins. They exploit synergies between synthetic and evolutionary biology, providing next generation microbial and mammalian manufacturing platforms.
The dynamic teamwork forged from full integration between the in-house molecular biology, fermentation and chemistry teams, boosted by close ties to UK universities, provides the perfect skillsets to expertly guide clients through their project.
“We believe our switch to an ELN has been a truly positive change, bringing our workflow up to speed with the digital age.” – Rita Cruz, Ingenza Ltd, From Lab Books to Laptops
See the presentation with practical and strategic advice:
Take away messages
1. ELN selection process framework to identify the best ELN
1 – Defining a dedicated person for market research
- Ask your community – What are they using?
- When talking with the provider, always ask for referrals.
- Contact the referrals and ask them for their honest opinion.
2- Establishing non-negotiables
- Establish the non-negotiable variables for your lab.
- When deciding the non-negotiables, it is recommended to use an ELN comparison template for easier selection of top choices.
- An ELN comparison template has been provided by the NEUWAY Pharma.
- It is important that the system is user-friendly as it will be used on a daily basis.
3 – Software testing during the Trial period
- Trial team should include a member of every department.
- Trial the system with dummy data.
- During the Trial period be in close contact with the Customer success manager to easily solve any issues.
- Define an end date for the Trial period. For example 3 months.
- Recognize the effort of the Trial team to motivate the members.
4 – Selecting the ELN as a team
- It is important to make a group decision.
- Let each department representative voice their opinion.
2. ELN implementation – How to encourage the lab team to implement and use the ELN?
1 – Defined standardized practices
- Define how the ELN will be used.
- Define how your projects will be created inside the ELN.
- Define data input practices.
2 – Defined key users
- Key users are crucial for successful implementation.
- Key users should be from different departments.
- Key users should participate in the Trial period.
- Key users should have a positive attitude towards ELNs and the change in general.
- Key users should be trained by the ELN team.
3 – Staff training
- The staff is trained by the Key users.
- Have in-house training.
4 – Sharing tips and troubleshooting
- Continuously share tips.
3. ELN proficiency – How to use an ELN daily?
1 – New customer set-up
- For every new customer a new folder is created.
- Each lab has a different set-up. Suggestions for SciNote setup can be found at Lab examples.
2 – Project management
- An ELN helps managing projects.
- The project manager is responsible for creating new teams inside the ELN.
- The project manager is responsible for assigning timelines and responsibilities.
3 – Task layout
- The technical lead creates templates for needed tasks.
- The templates with standard practices can easily be duplicated.
4 – Data handling
- The data is inputted by the lab team.
5 – Reports
- Tasks are reviewed and marked as “done” by the project manager.
- All data can be exported as a report.
- A copy of the report is keept separately in a different format.
How satisfied are the users after 4 years of using an ELN?
