A Handful of Digital Tools Is Not a Digitalization Strategy
In the lab of 2026, technology is everywhere, but true digital maturity is surprisingly rare. When a lab looks modern on the surface but still relies on manual workarounds behind the scenes, they’re presenting a digital façade. If scientists spend 10 hours a week on data transcription or repeat two-thirds of experiments because results are lost in siloed systems, they aren’t digitally mature.
However, digital transformation must be approached strategically and methodically. Partial automation often can be more expensive than manual processes because of the labor required to bridge disconnected systems. It’s much more expensive to rebuild a foundation after the house has been painted and furnished than it is to do it right from the ground up the first time. In a data strategy engagement with CSols, we advocate doing the necessary data readiness work before attempting to become digitally mature.
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