The Many Dialects of Lab Informatics
Lab informatics — the strategy and application of information technology solutions in the lab — spans a range of disciplines and domains. Fortunately, standards such as ASTM E1578 provide a shared vocabulary. However, in practice, different lab domains create their own way of communicating about processes, data, and results. These “dialects” aren’t just quirks of language, they shape how labs approach their work, set priorities, and innovate. They also affect a lab’s ability to share data and collaborate with other labs and organizations that may use different terminology.
