{"ID":108600,"post_author":"9412100","post_date":"2023-07-26 11:20:34","post_date_gmt":"0000-00-00 00:00:00","post_content":"","post_title":"Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"draft","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-07-26 11:20:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-07-26 15:20:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.limsforum.com\/?post_type=ebook&p=108600","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ebook","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"","holland":null,"_ebook_metadata":{"enabled":"on","private":"0","guid":"5F6EAB50-B903-42AC-BDA8-602FDC4DF66E","title":"Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization","subtitle":"First Edition","cover_theme":"nico_3","cover_image":"https:\/\/www.limsforum.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/rdp-ebook-builder\/pl\/cover.php?cover_style=nico_3&subtitle=First+Edition&editor=Joe+Liscouski+and+Shawn+E.+Douglas&title=Justifying+LIMS+Acquisition+and+Deployment+within+Your+Organization&title_image=https%3A%2F%2Fs3.limsforum.com%2Fwww.limsforum.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2FMan_and_Woman_Shaking_Hands-scaled.jpg&publisher=LabLynx+Press","editor":"Joe Liscouski and Shawn E. Douglas","publisher":"LabLynx Press","author_id":"26","image_url":"","items":{"6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_type":"article","6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_title":"A1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook","6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook","6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification WorkbookFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\nContents \n\n1 A1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook \n\n1.1 On-premises vs. cloud LIMS tab \n1.2 5-year costs tab \n1.3 Barcode use tab \n1.4 Tangible assets tab \n1.5 Intangible assets tab \n\n\n2 Citation information for this chapter \n\n\n\nA1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook \nThe LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook draws from the various topics, tables, and figures in this guide to help you put together a proposal to upper management and other stakeholders regarding the acquisition and deployment of a laboratory information management system (LIMS) within your organization. This Excel workbook consists of five sheets, identified by the tabs at the bottom of the workbook:\n\"On-premises vs. cloud LIMS\": Allows for a tabular comparison of on-premises and cloud-based LIMS account costs, drawing from Table 3 in Chapter 2 of this guide.\n\"5-year costs\": Provides a means of rolling up and comparing on-premises vs. cloud implementation costs, charges common to both implementations, and operational costs (manual operations vs. LIMS-based operations).\n\"Barcode use\": Allows for a tabular cost-benefit look at implementing barcodes in the lab, as well as cooperative lab-client use of barcodes, drawing from Tables 5 and 7 in Chapter 2 of this guide.\n\"Tangible benefits\": Provides a tabular listing of the tangible (i.e., measurable) benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment in Chapter 2, making it easier to enter the savings per shift, number of shifts per day, and working days per year, and then calculate the total savings.\n\"Intangible benefits: Provides a tabular listing of the intangible benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment in Chapter 2, using five different methods of applying some sort of valuation to them.\nDownload: You can download a copy of the Microsoft Excel version of the LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook from LIMSwiki by going to File:LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook v1.xlsx, right-clicking the URL under the white box, and selecting \"Save link as...\" (Alternatively, you can just click the link, open the file, and then save it.) \n\nOn-premises vs. cloud LIMS tab \nThis table compares the costs of license fees for both on-premises and cloud (also referred to as software as a service or SaaS) LIMS implementations. The table has entries for three cases, each dependent upon the number of seats (simultaneous users), which is distinct from the number of accounts. There are three sets of rows for each case. The first row (5, 8, and 11, respectively) is the number of seats for that case, and the following rows contain the license fees, first showing the initial one-time cost and then the recurring annual costs. The table can be extended via copy-and-paste for as many cases as needed. The text entries need to be edited to avoid confusion.\n\n5-year costs tab \nThis tab contains tables for cost projections over five years for both on-premises and cloud installations, each with its own table since both have different cost structures (for on-premises, there are hardware, installation, maintenance, and other charges). The third table from the top covers expenses common to both implementations, including networking costs (internal, and external from the internet service provider), training, and equipment (e.g., printers and systems terminals). Systems terminals can be desk\/benchtop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and thin-clients (with displays, keyboards, mice) used to access the LIMS.\nTraining is specific to lab personnel. Any training needed for IT support would be rolled into support charges and applied to on-premises installations. \nThe fourth table from the top is a roll-up of operational costs for the lab under its current mode of operation (a manual, paper-based state is assumed) and the lab\u2019s working with a LIMS. The line \u201cCost using manual operations\u201d is essentially your annual operating budget, less equipment and reagent costs since they would affect both paper-based and LIMS equally. The line \u201cCost using LIMS operations\u201d is a projection of your lab budget as it would look if a LIMS were in place and includes the savings\/benefits from items such as barcode use, direct instrument-to-LIMS connections, and tangible and intangible benefits. Because of the inclusion of intangible benefits, you can divide that last item into two parts, one addressing quantifiable values and another as what amounts to guesswork.\n\nBarcode use tab \nThe two tables on this page reflect the barcode discussion in Chapter 2's discussion of common and add-on costs. Hopefully, they will be helpful in estimating the value of the technology.\n\nTangible assets tab \nThe tangible benefits listed in Chapter 2 are presented in a table format, with a column entry for saving per shift, number of shifts per day, and days per year of operations. This makes it easy to total up the saving for these points. The table is easily edited to remove unnecessary items and includes additional entries important to your lab's operations. As with many cost estimates, there is a lot of guesswork in the results. Anything done manually, such as gathering data for reports, will show almost 100% cost savings since the LIMS system can do it with a few mouse clicks and if desired, automatically on a preset schedule.\nThe savings accrued are shown for only one year, and often the summaries have provision for five years of data. The savings should be consistent each year while the cost of manual operations continues to rise. Some of the entries are elements you may not be currently doing but can become part of an \u201cadded capability\u201d feature, such as keeping detailed measurements of test turnaround and equipment utilization.\n\nIntangible assets tab \nValuating intangible assets is an interesting exercise. What is the value of a concept or capability? For example, managing and organizing data has value because it allows you to do things you might not have done before, but that can be hard to put a number on. If it prevents a plant shutdown due to regulatory failures or prevents out-of-spec raw materials from entering the production line, that's easier. It's the cost of several days of plant operations. Those valuations are going to vary from one to another.\nRather than try to assign a number to these assets, we\u2019ve identified five categories that can be applied to each asset: improved operational effectiveness, improved customer relationship and increased business, reduced operating costs, improved regulatory compliance, and an estimate of monetary value. Since this is in an editable spreadsheet, you can alter the categories and add to them as you see fit.\nThis table provides a means of summarizing the intangible benefits of LIMS and presenting them as a way of assessing the impact on the lab\u2019s and organization's business operations.\n\nCitation information for this chapter \nChapter: Appendix 1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\nTitle: Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\nEdition: First Edition\nAuthor for citation: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\nLicense for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International\nPublication date: July 2023\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 15:04.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 6 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"A1._LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook\">A1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:.xlsx_icon.svg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"9fc3897660021e37e59e613859e0e6df\"><img alt=\".xlsx icon.svg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/f\/f3\/.xlsx_icon.svg\/140px-.xlsx_icon.svg.png\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>The LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook draws from the various topics, tables, and figures in this guide to help you put together a proposal to upper management and other stakeholders regarding the acquisition and deployment of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_management_system\" title=\"Laboratory information management system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8ff56a51d34c9b1806fcebdcde634d00\">laboratory information management system<\/a> (LIMS) within your organization. This Excel workbook consists of five sheets, identified by the tabs at the bottom of the workbook:\n<\/p><ol><li>\"On-premises vs. cloud LIMS\": Allows for a tabular comparison of on-premises and cloud-based LIMS account costs, drawing from Table 3 in Chapter 2 of this guide.<\/li>\n<li>\"5-year costs\": Provides a means of rolling up and comparing on-premises vs. cloud implementation costs, charges common to both implementations, and operational costs (manual operations vs. LIMS-based operations).<\/li>\n<li>\"Barcode use\": Allows for a tabular cost-benefit look at implementing barcodes in the lab, as well as cooperative lab-client use of barcodes, drawing from Tables 5 and 7 in Chapter 2 of this guide.<\/li>\n<li>\"Tangible benefits\": Provides a tabular listing of the tangible (i.e., measurable) benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment in Chapter 2, making it easier to enter the savings per shift, number of shifts per day, and working days per year, and then calculate the total savings.<\/li>\n<li>\"Intangible benefits: Provides a tabular listing of the intangible benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment in Chapter 2, using five different methods of applying some sort of valuation to them.<\/li><\/ol>\n<p><b>Download<\/b>: You can download a copy of the Microsoft Excel version of the LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook from LIMSwiki by going to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook_v1.xlsx\" title=\"File:LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook v1.xlsx\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"a29b7256edda732389854b8bd9a5a112\">File:LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook v1.xlsx<\/a>, right-clicking the URL under the white box, and selecting \"Save link as...\" (Alternatively, you can just click the link, open the file, and then save it.) \n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"On-premises_vs._cloud_LIMS_tab\">On-premises vs. cloud LIMS tab<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>This table compares the costs of license fees for both on-premises and cloud (also referred to as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Software_as_a_service\" title=\"Software as a service\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"ae8c8a7cd5ee1a264f4f0bbd4a4caedd\">software as a service<\/a> or SaaS) LIMS implementations. The table has entries for three cases, each dependent upon the number of seats (simultaneous users), which is distinct from the number of accounts. There are three sets of rows for each case. The first row (5, 8, and 11, respectively) is the number of seats for that case, and the following rows contain the license fees, first showing the initial one-time cost and then the recurring annual costs. The table can be extended via copy-and-paste for as many cases as needed. The text entries need to be edited to avoid confusion.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"5-year_costs_tab\">5-year costs tab<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>This tab contains tables for cost projections over five years for both on-premises and cloud installations, each with its own table since both have different cost structures (for on-premises, there are hardware, installation, maintenance, and other charges). The third table from the top covers expenses common to both implementations, including networking costs (internal, and external from the internet service provider), training, and equipment (e.g., printers and systems terminals). Systems terminals can be desk\/benchtop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and thin-clients (with displays, keyboards, mice) used to access the LIMS.\n<\/p><p>Training is specific to lab personnel. Any training needed for IT support would be rolled into support charges and applied to on-premises installations. \n<\/p><p>The fourth table from the top is a roll-up of operational costs for the lab under its current mode of operation (a manual, paper-based state is assumed) and the lab\u2019s working with a LIMS. The line \u201cCost using manual operations\u201d is essentially your annual operating budget, less equipment and reagent costs since they would affect both paper-based and LIMS equally. The line \u201cCost using LIMS operations\u201d is a projection of your lab budget as it would look if a LIMS were in place and includes the savings\/benefits from items such as barcode use, direct instrument-to-LIMS connections, and tangible and intangible benefits. Because of the inclusion of intangible benefits, you can divide that last item into two parts, one addressing quantifiable values and another as what amounts to guesswork.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Barcode_use_tab\">Barcode use tab<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The two tables on this page reflect the barcode discussion in Chapter 2's discussion of common and add-on costs. Hopefully, they will be helpful in estimating the value of the technology.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Tangible_assets_tab\">Tangible assets tab<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The tangible benefits listed in Chapter 2 are presented in a table format, with a column entry for saving per shift, number of shifts per day, and days per year of operations. This makes it easy to total up the saving for these points. The table is easily edited to remove unnecessary items and includes additional entries important to your lab's operations. As with many cost estimates, there is a lot of guesswork in the results. Anything done manually, such as gathering data for reports, will show almost 100% cost savings since the LIMS system can do it with a few mouse clicks and if desired, automatically on a preset schedule.\n<\/p><p>The savings accrued are shown for only one year, and often the summaries have provision for five years of data. The savings should be consistent each year while the cost of manual operations continues to rise. Some of the entries are elements you may not be currently doing but can become part of an \u201cadded capability\u201d feature, such as keeping detailed measurements of test turnaround and equipment utilization.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Intangible_assets_tab\">Intangible assets tab<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Valuating intangible assets is an interesting exercise. What is the value of a concept or capability? For example, managing and organizing data has value because it allows you to do things you might not have done before, but that can be hard to put a number on. If it prevents a plant shutdown due to regulatory failures or prevents out-of-spec raw materials from entering the production line, that's easier. It's the cost of several days of plant operations. Those valuations are going to vary from one to another.\n<\/p><p>Rather than try to assign a number to these assets, we\u2019ve identified five categories that can be applied to each asset: improved operational effectiveness, improved customer relationship and increased business, reduced operating costs, improved regulatory compliance, and an estimate of monetary value. Since this is in an editable spreadsheet, you can alter the categories and add to them as you see fit.\n<\/p><p>This table provides a means of summarizing the intangible benefits of LIMS and presenting them as a way of assessing the impact on the lab\u2019s and organization's business operations.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Citation_information_for_this_chapter\">Citation information for this chapter<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Chapter<\/b>: Appendix 1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\n<\/p><p><b>Title<\/b>: <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i>\n<\/p><p><b>Edition<\/b>: First Edition\n<\/p><p><b>Author for citation<\/b>: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\n<\/p><p><b>License for content<\/b>: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International<\/a>\n<\/p><p><b>Publication date<\/b>: July 2023\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151906\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.023 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.028 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 15\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 6919\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 0\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 3\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 0\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 4.979 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook\n100.00% 4.979 1 -total\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14327-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151906 and revision id 52657. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/f\/f3\/.xlsx_icon.svg\/280px-.xlsx_icon.svg.png"],"6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6_timestamp":1690384839,"ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_type":"article","ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_title":"4. Closing remarks","ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks","ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Closing remarksFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n4. Closing remarks \nThis guide has examined information on and approaches to justifying the acquisition and deployment of a laboratory information management system (LIMS) to upper management and critical stakeholders within your laboratory-based organization. After briefly examining what a LIMS is and what alternatives exist, we looked at LIMS acquisition then and now, as well as why a LIMS should be viewed as important by more laboratories. Of course, it's well and good to say \"a LIMS can benefit a laboratory broadly by helping with X, Y, and Z,\" but in the end you have to put forward a more detailed justification for your organization's potential acquisition and deployment of a LIMS.\nFrom there we looked at the organizational, economic, and practical justifications that must take place as part of your project proposal research. We found that linking organization-specific goals and challenges to LIMS acquisition and deployment is a critical component of any proposal, as it allows upper management and other stakeholders to better understand how the software fits within the organizational structure. We also discussed the cost-based economics of the LIMS, noting how for many this ends up being viewed as the primary impediment to and source of insight for LIMS justification. However, the evaluation of a LIMS based on the economics of laboratory operations can be an arduous process requiring you to chase information that may not be readily available. What you can\u2019t lose sight of is that you are answering a basic question: will my lab run better with a LIMS that it does without it? What you are trying to do is justify what \u201cbetter\u201d means. That requires highlighting more practical tangible and intangible benefits such as lower costs, higher productivity, better access to lab information, more streamlined operations, improved operational management, and improved long-term management, which help set a more solid foundation for LIMS justification. A decision based strictly on the dollars and cents of LIMS acquisition may miss an understanding of key intangible benefits.\nFor example, something as simple as reduced data errors means you have to be able to quantify the current cost of errors to your labs operations and the organization you lab is a part of. A LIMS may allow you to introduce new statistical procedures that will automatically flag questionable results and prevent out-of-spec incoming raw material from entering the production process. The introduction of a LIMS may allow you to add new capabilities that elevate lab operations and provide additional useful information into process monitoring. The end result can be seen as needing less time on administrative work, more time on data management and analysis, and more value gained from the investment in laboratory work.\nWe then examined how all these justifications must be paired with manager and critical stakeholder buy-in, in an organized and succinct way. Without proper buy-in, a LIMS project may be underfunded, misunderstood, and less successful. This means taking the time to not only identify critical stakeholders but also engage with them in an effective way so as to gain their understanding and support for your LIMS project. Also part of the equation is the successful pitch of the LIMS project proposal, which can be made easier by creating a \"cheat sheet\" or packet of readily accessible and succinct facts, statistics, and information to best impart the full intent and potential with your LIMS project.\nWe close this guide with a \u201cLIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\u201d in the appendix. It consists of an Excel workbook that will help guide you through the process of justifying LIMS acquisition and deployment to critical stakeholders. It has the benefit of being in an editable tabular form, such that you can add more insights you have learned from this guide to quickly get your project goals and benefits clearly related during the justification process.\n\r\n\n\n-----Go to the next chapter of this guide-----\nCitation information for this chapter \nChapter: 4. Closing remarks\nTitle: Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\nEdition: First Edition\nAuthor for citation: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\nLicense for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International\nPublication date: July 2023\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 15:02.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 5 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Closing_remarks rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Closing_remarks skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Closing remarks<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"4._Closing_remarks\">4. Closing remarks<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Comme_Sisyphe_-_Honor%C3%A9_Daumier.jpg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"24d008f06fa5395c258614ae2330ae3a\"><img alt=\"Brooklyn Museum - Comme Sisyphe - Honor\u00e9 Daumier.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/f\/f4\/Brooklyn_Museum_-_Comme_Sisyphe_-_Honor%C3%A9_Daumier.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"310\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>This guide has examined information on and approaches to justifying the acquisition and deployment of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_management_system\" title=\"Laboratory information management system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8ff56a51d34c9b1806fcebdcde634d00\">laboratory information management system<\/a> (LIMS) to upper management and critical stakeholders within your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory\" title=\"Laboratory\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"c57fc5aac9e4abf31dccae81df664c33\">laboratory<\/a>-based organization. After briefly examining what a LIMS is and what alternatives exist, we looked at LIMS acquisition then and now, as well as why a LIMS should be viewed as important by more laboratories. Of course, it's well and good to say \"a LIMS can benefit a laboratory broadly by helping with X, Y, and Z,\" but in the end you have to put forward a more detailed justification for your organization's potential acquisition and deployment of a LIMS.\n<\/p><p>From there we looked at the organizational, economic, and practical justifications that must take place as part of your project proposal research. We found that linking organization-specific goals and challenges to LIMS acquisition and deployment is a critical component of any proposal, as it allows upper management and other stakeholders to better understand how the software fits within the organizational structure. We also discussed the cost-based economics of the LIMS, noting how for many this ends up being viewed as the primary impediment to and source of insight for LIMS justification. However, the evaluation of a LIMS based on the economics of laboratory operations can be an arduous process requiring you to chase <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Information\" title=\"Information\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"6300a14d9c2776dcca0999b5ed940e7d\">information<\/a> that may not be readily available. What you can\u2019t lose sight of is that you are answering a basic question: will my lab run better with a LIMS that it does without it? What you are trying to do is justify what \u201cbetter\u201d means. That requires highlighting more practical tangible and intangible benefits such as lower costs, higher productivity, better access to lab information, more streamlined operations, improved operational management, and improved long-term management, which help set a more solid foundation for LIMS justification. A decision based strictly on the dollars and cents of LIMS acquisition may miss an understanding of key intangible benefits.\n<\/p><p>For example, something as simple as reduced data errors means you have to be able to quantify the current cost of errors to your labs operations and the organization you lab is a part of. A LIMS may allow you to introduce new statistical procedures that will automatically flag questionable results and prevent out-of-spec incoming raw material from entering the production process. The introduction of a LIMS may allow you to add new capabilities that elevate lab operations and provide additional useful information into process monitoring. The end result can be seen as needing less time on administrative work, more time on data management and analysis, and more value gained from the investment in laboratory work.\n<\/p><p>We then examined how all these justifications must be paired with manager and critical stakeholder buy-in, in an organized and succinct way. Without proper buy-in, a LIMS project may be underfunded, misunderstood, and less successful. This means taking the time to not only identify critical stakeholders but also engage with them in an effective way so as to gain their understanding and support for your LIMS project. Also part of the equation is the successful pitch of the LIMS project proposal, which can be made easier by creating a \"cheat sheet\" or packet of readily accessible and succinct facts, statistics, and information to best impart the full intent and potential with your LIMS project.\n<\/p><p>We close this guide with a \u201cLIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\u201d in the appendix. It consists of an Excel workbook that will help guide you through the process of justifying LIMS acquisition and deployment to critical stakeholders. It has the benefit of being in an editable tabular form, such that you can add more insights you have learned from this guide to quickly get your project goals and benefits clearly related during the justification process.\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">-----Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6\">the next chapter<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Citation_information_for_this_chapter\">Citation information for this chapter<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Chapter<\/b>: 4. Closing remarks\n<\/p><p><b>Title<\/b>: <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i>\n<\/p><p><b>Edition<\/b>: First Edition\n<\/p><p><b>Author for citation<\/b>: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\n<\/p><p><b>License for content<\/b>: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International<\/a>\n<\/p><p><b>Publication date<\/b>: July 2023\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151428\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.013 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.024 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 12\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 4121\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 0\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 3\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 0\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 3.145 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks\n100.00% 3.145 1 -total\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14326-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151428 and revision id 52656. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/f\/f4\/Brooklyn_Museum_-_Comme_Sisyphe_-_Honor%C3%A9_Daumier.jpg"],"ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854_timestamp":1690384838,"e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_type":"article","e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_title":"3.3 Developing a cheat sheet for management","e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management","e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/Developing a cheat sheet for managementFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n3.3 Developing a cheat sheet for management \nPitching a LIMS acquisition project is no simple task, to be sure, but one can arguably make the proposal process more effective if they provide information and tools that help stakeholders more effectively and rapidly understand the value and costs associated with the proposed LIMS project. As such, you may want to consider making a \"cheat sheet\" of sorts for critical stakeholders who will be the recipients of your proposal. \nThis cheat sheet could take many forms, homogenous or varied, but in the end it should be readily accessible and organized such that it's easy for recipients to make sense of its contents. Those contents will also vary, based upon the level of familiarity stakeholders have with LIMS and laboratory informatics solutions. If management isn't familiar with a LIMS, you'll probably want to include a broader list of bullet points as to how LIMS can benefit labs of all types. That list might look something like this:\nA LIMS can...\n\nIncrease efficiency: LIMS can help laboratories manage data more efficiently by eliminating data silos, managing standard operating procedures (SOPs), generating custom reports, facilitating data interoperability and exchange, tracking reagent inventories, and managing staff training. This in turn can minimize wasted resources.\nImprove process control: LIMS can help laboratories better manage test\/sample status and workload evaluation, resulting in better customer support and smoother workflows. With a LIMS, these and other tasks are automated, so we can spend more time on what really matters: research and testing. As an added benefit, LIMS also reduces errors by automating manual processes and eliminating the potential for human error.\nMore rapidly disseminate business data and analytical results: LIMS can help laboratories communicate test results more quickly and accurately. In research, this means faster project execution and better decision-making. In production, this means faster release of products, quicker evaluation of incoming raw materials, and prevention of wasted products.\nEnable access to data anywhere, anytime: Many LIMS can help laboratories access lab data from anywhere, particularly cloud-based LIMS. With cloud-based LIMS software, we can access lab data from anywhere with an internet connection. That access capability means we can work remotely or collaborate with team members across different locations, all with a high level of security.\nProvide safer, more secure storage for critical lab data: LIMS can help laboratories centralize and secure their various data and information. LIMS software provides a centralized location for all lab data, making it easy to access and share data with other team members. It also ensures that data is secure and protected from unauthorized access, especially when the LIMS is purpose-built to meet data- and information-related regulatory requirements.\nFacilitate better results interpretation and retrieval: LIMS can help laboratories interpret and retrieve results more quickly, increasing customer satisfaction and lab productivity.\nImprove billing processes: LIMS can help laboratories streamline their billing processes, improve record access, and provide greater insights into organizational financials.\nIncrease productivity: LIMS can help laboratories realize 10-20% productivity benefits based on a reduction in clerical work alone. By automating manual processes and providing easy access to lab data, LIMS software frees up time for researchers and analysts to focus on their core work. Using automated reporting, and giving clients controlled access to the system\u2014i.e., through a secure, administrator-controlled client portal\u2014for sample logging, along with having automated instrument connections for worklist downloading and data entry, will greatly increase those productivity gains.\nFacilitate collaboration: LIMS can help laboratories share data and collaborate on tasks and projects, resulting in improved communication and streamlined workflows.\nAs Chapter 2 points out, you'll also want to address how the LIMS acquisition and deployment specifically addresses organization goals and challenges. At this point you've already linked tangible and intangible benefits to organizational goals and challenges as part of your proposal research, and you'll want to make these connections clear to stakeholders. This might be best visualized in an easily digestible table, for example. Table 10 provides a few representative examples of this effort; your table may be larger and more extensive, but remember to keep it succinct and easy-to-understand.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 10. An example of linking tangible and intangible benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment to organizational goals and challenges.\n\n\nOrganizational goal\n\nTangible\/Intangible benefit\n\n\n\"Provide more timely results to clients...\"\n\nWe can better meet this goal with a LIMS, as we can save up to 22% of the time we currently spend manually processing samples and preparing them for analytical testing. Automated tracking with barcodes and a client portal for accessing results provides greater gains in timeliness, improving client satisfaction and, by extension, improving client retention.\n\n\n\"Further expand into the environmental testing industry...\"\n\nWe can better meet this goal with a LIMS, as our 22% time savings allows us to take on approximately 6% more workload. We estimate that through pre-loaded environmental workloads and LIMS integration with our environmental testing instruments, we could potentially take on up to another 5 to 6% without adding any additional personnel.\n\n\nOrganizational challenge\n\nTangible\/Intangible benefit\n\n\n\"We have a bottleneck in sample entry and test scheduling, losing up to six hours of productivity a week.\"\n\nA LIMS allows for more rapid, automated sample entry, tracking, and scheduling mechanisms, which could demonstrable recover that productivity loss plus an additional two hours. Adding a client portal where samples can be pre-registered before delivery can provide further efficiency to our lab workflow.\n\n\n\"Our clients are complaining about missing reports that we know we mailed.\"\n\nMost LIMS provide an administrator-controlled client portal, as an add-on, that will empower clients to view reports wherever and whenever, improving lab-client relations.\n\n\n\nAs for the economic and practical justifications and considerations mentioned in Chapter 2, you can find help in managing those in a compact way in Appendix 1 of this guide, which provides you with an Excel workbook containing many of the tools referenced in this guide. The LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook has five tabs addressing on-premises vs. cloud LIMS account costing and overall five-year costing, as well as the barcode benefits analysis tables and the tangible and intangible benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment in tabular form, with value calculation fields. These tools can be readily implemented in any cheat sheet you pass on to upper management and other critical stakeholders as part of streamlining your overall proposal process. That it's already in Excel format makes it easy for you to add additional tabs for the above-mentioned broad LIMS education points and the expected organizational impact of the LIMS, as well as any other information that needs to be conveyed quickly in a tabular form.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\r\n\n\n-----Go to the next chapter of this guide-----\nCitation information for this chapter \nChapter: 3. Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\nTitle: Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\nEdition: First Edition\nAuthor for citation: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\nLicense for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International\nPublication date: July 2023\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 15:01.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 5 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders_Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders_Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/Developing a cheat sheet for management<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"3.3_Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management\">3.3 Developing a cheat sheet for management<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Pitching a LIMS acquisition project is no simple task, to be sure, but one can arguably make the proposal process more effective if they provide information and tools that help stakeholders more effectively and rapidly understand the value and costs associated with the proposed LIMS project. As such, you may want to consider making a \"cheat sheet\" of sorts for critical stakeholders who will be the recipients of your proposal. \n<\/p><p>This cheat sheet could take many forms, homogenous or varied, but in the end it should be readily accessible and organized such that it's easy for recipients to make sense of its contents. Those contents will also vary, based upon the level of familiarity stakeholders have with LIMS and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_informatics\" title=\"Laboratory informatics\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"00edfa43edcde538a695f6d429280301\">laboratory informatics<\/a> solutions. If management isn't familiar with a LIMS, you'll probably want to include a broader list of bullet points as to how LIMS can benefit labs of all types. That list might look something like this:\n<\/p><p><b>A LIMS can...<\/b>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li><i>Increase efficiency<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories manage data more efficiently by eliminating data silos, managing standard operating procedures (SOPs), generating custom reports, facilitating data interoperability and exchange, tracking reagent inventories, and managing staff training. This in turn can minimize wasted resources.<\/li>\n<li><i>Improve process control<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories better manage test\/sample status and workload evaluation, resulting in better customer support and smoother workflows. With a LIMS, these and other tasks are automated, so we can spend more time on what really matters: research and testing. As an added benefit, LIMS also reduces errors by automating manual processes and eliminating the potential for human error.<\/li>\n<li><i>More rapidly disseminate business data and analytical results<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories communicate test results more quickly and accurately. In research, this means faster project execution and better decision-making. In production, this means faster release of products, quicker evaluation of incoming raw materials, and prevention of wasted products.<\/li>\n<li><i>Enable access to data anywhere, anytime<\/i>: Many LIMS can help laboratories access lab data from anywhere, particularly cloud-based LIMS. With cloud-based LIMS software, we can access lab data from anywhere with an internet connection. That access capability means we can work remotely or collaborate with team members across different locations, all with a high level of security.<\/li>\n<li><i>Provide safer, more secure storage for critical lab data<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories centralize and secure their various data and information. LIMS software provides a centralized location for all lab data, making it easy to access and share data with other team members. It also ensures that data is secure and protected from unauthorized access, especially when the LIMS is purpose-built to meet data- and information-related regulatory requirements.<\/li>\n<li><i>Facilitate better results interpretation and retrieval<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories interpret and retrieve results more quickly, increasing customer satisfaction and lab productivity.<\/li>\n<li><i>Improve billing processes<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories streamline their billing processes, improve record access, and provide greater insights into organizational financials.<\/li>\n<li><i>Increase productivity<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories realize 10-20% productivity benefits based on a reduction in clerical work alone. By automating manual processes and providing easy access to lab data, LIMS software frees up time for researchers and analysts to focus on their core work. Using automated reporting, and giving clients controlled access to the system\u2014i.e., through a secure, administrator-controlled client portal\u2014for sample logging, along with having automated instrument connections for worklist downloading and data entry, will greatly increase those productivity gains.<\/li>\n<li><i>Facilitate collaboration<\/i>: LIMS can help laboratories share data and collaborate on tasks and projects, resulting in improved communication and streamlined workflows.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>As Chapter 2 points out, you'll also want to address how the LIMS acquisition and deployment specifically addresses organization goals and challenges. At this point you've already linked tangible and intangible benefits to organizational goals and challenges as part of your proposal research, and you'll want to make these connections clear to stakeholders. This might be best visualized in an easily digestible table, for example. Table 10 provides a few representative examples of this effort; your table may be larger and more extensive, but remember to keep it succinct and easy-to-understand.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 10.<\/b> An example of linking tangible and intangible benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment to organizational goals and challenges.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Organizational goal\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Tangible\/Intangible benefit\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\"Provide more timely results to clients...\"\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">We can better meet this goal with a LIMS, as we can save up to 22% of the time we currently spend manually processing samples and preparing them for analytical testing. Automated tracking with barcodes and a client portal for accessing results provides greater gains in timeliness, improving client satisfaction and, by extension, improving client retention.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\"Further expand into the environmental testing industry...\"\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">We can better meet this goal with a LIMS, as our 22% time savings allows us to take on approximately 6% more workload. We estimate that through pre-loaded environmental workloads and LIMS integration with our environmental testing instruments, we could potentially take on up to another 5 to 6% without adding any additional personnel.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Organizational challenge\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Tangible\/Intangible benefit\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\"We have a bottleneck in sample entry and test scheduling, losing up to six hours of productivity a week.\"\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">A LIMS allows for more rapid, automated sample entry, tracking, and scheduling mechanisms, which could demonstrable recover that productivity loss plus an additional two hours. Adding a client portal where samples can be pre-registered before delivery can provide further efficiency to our lab workflow.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\"Our clients are complaining about missing reports that we know we mailed.\"\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Most LIMS provide an administrator-controlled client portal, as an add-on, that will empower clients to view reports wherever and whenever, improving lab-client relations.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>As for the economic and practical justifications and considerations mentioned in Chapter 2, you can find help in managing those in a compact way in Appendix 1 of this guide, which provides you with an Excel workbook containing many of the tools referenced in this guide. The LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook has five tabs addressing on-premises vs. cloud LIMS account costing and overall five-year costing, as well as the barcode benefits analysis tables and the tangible and intangible benefits of LIMS acquisition and deployment in tabular form, with value calculation fields. These tools can be readily implemented in any cheat sheet you pass on to upper management and other critical stakeholders as part of streamlining your overall proposal process. That it's already in Excel format makes it easy for you to add additional tabs for the above-mentioned broad LIMS education points and the expected organizational impact of the LIMS, as well as any other information that needs to be conveyed quickly in a tabular form.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">-----Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Closing remarks\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854\">the next chapter<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Citation_information_for_this_chapter\">Citation information for this chapter<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Chapter<\/b>: 3. Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\n<\/p><p><b>Title<\/b>: <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i>\n<\/p><p><b>Edition<\/b>: First Edition\n<\/p><p><b>Author for citation<\/b>: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\n<\/p><p><b>License for content<\/b>: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International<\/a>\n<\/p><p><b>Publication date<\/b>: July 2023\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151428\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.019 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.025 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 57\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 9172\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 24\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 7\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 0\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 10.834 1 -total\n 65.99% 7.149 1 Template:Reflist\n 32.57% 3.529 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management\n 28.91% 3.132 1 Template:Column-width\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14325-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151428 and revision id 52655. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_images":[],"e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc_timestamp":1690384838,"c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_type":"article","c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_title":"3.2 Pitching the LIMS project","c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project","c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/Pitching the LIMS projectFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n3.2 Pitching the LIMS project \nWe now better understand that engagement with stakeholders is important to any LIMS acquisition and deployment plans. But what of the proposal itself? What are some optimal approaches to proposing a LIMS project to upper management and other relevant stakeholders? \nThe most common approach to pitching a LIMS project is developing a formal project proposal document. You or someone in your lab may have experience with creating such a document, but it's just as likely that you and your peers haven't needed to pitch a formal proposal to management before. This guide assumes you have limited experience at best in such an endeavor and offers some suggestions.\nA project proposal is a document (and an initial phase of project management) that condenses critical project aspects such as goals, challenges, timeline, and budget into a form that is succinct and more able to persuade stakeholders to buy into your project emotionally, fiscally, and intellectually. The presentation of this proposal happens early on in the overall project pathway. Note that the project proposal, however, differs slightly from project charters and business cases. A project charter comes after the proposal has gained approval, acting as a reference document that drives the project objectives, scope, and stakeholder requirements stated before and further developed after project approval. Business cases often come after the project proposal has been made, usually requested as an extension to any basic explanation of budget and return on investment (ROI) made in the project proposal. The business case further explains any financial requirements in greater detail for stakeholders, and it can even be integrated into a project proposal to make a more highly detailed initial proposal.[1][2][3][4][5]\nIn the case of pitching a LIMS proposal to upper management and other stakeholders, the project proposal will largely be unsolicited unless those stakeholders specifically came to you and other staff with a request for a proposal concerning quality and efficiency improvement in the lab. In either case, your research and writing still needs to be persuasive and compelling, as it likely won't be clear if the stakeholders have the necessary knowledge and understanding of what a LIMS could bring to your lab.[1] Chapter 2 has already addressed the organizational, economic, and practical justifications you may use to make your proposal more persuasive and compelling; these will serve you well. However, organizing these justifications, revelations, and other information in a succinct and clear fashion is another skill worth practicing (we'll talk about that organization shortly). Like other types of writing, knowing your audience well is also critical to making your proposal more compelling. For example, will the stakeholders respond better to a formal tone or a more casually written tone?[3] Finally, be willing to play the part of expert, even if you're feeling a bit like a fish out of water. Your proposal should clearly indicate why you think the LIMS option is the best option for your lab, followed by a ranking of any alternative options proposed. If you've done the necessary research, your proposal will demonstrate sufficient expertise and give further confidence to stakeholders.[4]\nWhile there is some room for flexibility in how you organize your proposal, the most common way includes[1][3][4][5]:\n\nAn executive summary of the proposal;\nA project background, including the organizational goals, challenges, and risks being addressed;\nA project solution, including how your solution(s) complement the stated goals and address the stated challenges and risks;\nA set of defined deliverables and goals, including projected timelines, expected ROI, and other metrics for measuring success;\nA declaration of resources, including any projected budgetary and operational requirements and allocations; and\nA conclusion, which confidently and clearly restates your case.\nThe executive summary should be brief and succinctly address the goals, challenges, and risk the LIMS project plans to address; how the LIMS will address those goals, challenges, and risks; and the impact the LIMS will demonstrably have upon implementation and use. As these topics will be addressed later in more detail in the project proposal, remember that this introduction serves as the \"hook\" that will help keep stakeholders engaged with your proposal from the beginning.[1] The project background will then tap into the organizational justifications we talked about in Chapter 2.1, including organizational goals and how the current organizational challenges and risks undercut those goals. You also have an opportunity to discuss prior attempts to address those same challenges and risks and how those attempts were inadequate.[1] Your project solution\u2014the LIMS\u2014is then discussed. Here you'll be examining how organizational goals intersect with how a LIMS would positively address organizational challenges and risks. In presenting your solution here, you'll include a vision statement of how the LIMS will positively impact and improve the laboratory environment, as well as the organization overall. You'll also discuss the timeline for the project, who will be involved and what role they'll play, how risk will be mitigated through LIMS implementation and use, what will be delivered, and how progress will be communicated and reported.[1] You'll then address your deliverables and goals, helping to give stakeholders a clearer view into what their approval and resources will gain them. Here the stakeholder should discover the final actionable goals of LIMS acquisition and deployment (they should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound [SMART]), a clearer timeline of the project, and any other deliverable-based metrics of project success.[1][6] The project's declaration of resources will more clearly describe how resources will be allocated to costs and other operational requirements. You may have already mentioned ROI previously in the other sections, but you'll likely want to get into more details at this point to make clearer the projected costs, budget, and resource allocations requirements needed to finally convince stakeholders to approve your LIMS project. Finally, your conclusion should briefly state how the points in the executive summary were addressed, while emphasizing the impact the LIMS will have on the lab and organization in a relevant and clear fashion.[1]\nThe order of the items may be negotiable if a strong case can be made. While your executive summary and conclusion should necessarily remain as the bookends to your proposal, the items in the middle may have some room to move. However, the above order still has advantages. As Purdue University notes[3]:\n\nAs you organize the rest of your proposal, consider what makes the most logical sense. Is it a good idea to present success metrics before your plan? Perhaps, if you believe these metrics will be very compelling and viewing them first will appeal to your client. Always consider your audience when creating a proposal.\r\n \r\nAdditionally, it\u2019s smart to keep resource requests toward the end. Use the earlier sections to sell your idea as best you can. Proving your value early can get stakeholders excited about your ideas and increase the likelihood that they will accommodate your requests.\n3.2.1 A note about focusing too much on ROI \nUndoubtedly, discussing topics like ROI and budgetary requirements are a vital part of any project proposal, and a cost-benefit analysis of most any potential project is a natural and expected part of effectively running an organization. In particular, account and purchase managers traditionally turn to ROI as an accounting tool for making decisions about proposed investments and purchases. However, it turns out that ROI may not be the most important topic of a LIMS project proposal. We already mentioned in the previous chapter how there are intangible benefits to acquiring and deploying a LIMS in your lab, and those intangible benefits can be difficult to translate into any ROI calculations, potentially painting an incomplete picture based on economics. Now consider another reason why ROI may not paint a complete picture to stakeholders participating in your proposal: a LIMS is also a \"survival system.\" \nLet's consider why stakeholders may have a strong bias towards using ROI to evaluate your proposal. The further removed a stakeholder is from your laboratory in the corporate organizational chart, the less familiar they will be with what your lab does, its operational workflow, and how it contributes to the organization's operations and success. They may not be aware that the progress of research programs depends upon the results your lab generates, or, in the case of QC labs, that the lab is tasked with ensuring that incoming raw materials are suitable for production and avoiding off-spec products from being produced and shipped, catching problems before they become serious. They may not be able to see the bigger picture of lab operations for lack of understanding and knowledge, but they may very well understand and have knowledge about budgets, accounting terms, and the ROI concept. As such, they may not fully appreciate the impact that a LIMS can have on your lab and how it can improve corporate information flow. In short, you have an education problem to resolve if you want their understanding and support. Instinctively, you may want to turn to ROI discussions in your proposal in an attempt to meet them halfway. But there's more to consider with this approach. \nLet's look at a comparison, using laboratory equipment add-ons vs. base laboratory instrumentation as an example. Within the laboratory space, discussions about ROI are appropriate if you\u2019re discussing upgrading the capabilities of an instrument with additional equipment. For example, suppose you have an instrument, and you want to add equipment to it, such as a chromatograph or an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Back in the day, they were sold without computers and used a strip chart recorder to record their output. The analyst's work included sample preparation, introducing the sample into the instrument (manually), and taking the strip chart output and converting it to usable results when all the samples were processed. All the work was performed manually. \nIf we wanted to add a computerized tool to capture the instrument data and perform the analysis, we could build a case that the computer system would cost a certain amount, and we'd then determine how much time it would save the analyst, as well as any other benefits, and finally justify the purchase. Adding an auto-injector could be done the same way, and adding both would create a synergist improvement that far outweighs the equipment cost. Here ROI is a perfectly useful basis for justification of the equipment add-on. But that doesn't extend to the basic instrument.\nThe lab's role is to carry out testing to meet its goals. The instrument is needed to make it possible to do the required testing. The justification for the instrument isn't based on ROI but rather on the need to accomplish the lab's goals so the overall organization benefits. The justification for having and maintaining the instrument is a survival issue. The lab can't fulfill its role without the instrument, as the data needed to support research and production hinges upon having that reliable, accurate, well-maintained instrument. Without the data, the research program is hindered, and production won't know if its products will meet specifications. \nSimilarly, a LIMS can be argued as a survival system during project proposal, without which the lab could not effectively meet its goals. (Again, this is where tying LIMS acquisition to organizational goals, as discussed at the beginning of Chapter 2, is vital to your proposal.) The LIMS, as detailed throughout this guide, can be seen as a transformational system for most any lab. Sure, small labs can manage to function with paper-based or spreadsheet systems. Still, they will soon become overwhelmed with data management, reporting, and inefficient\/ineffective operations management issues. Properly implementing a LIMS will increase the operational effectiveness of a lab and help it meet organizational goals and regulatory requirements. It is not just an incremental addition to a lab product set but rather the basis for reorganizing how the lab works to meet its goals, supports its clients with electronic communications, and prepares it for its future development. In short, you will be moving from completely manual (paper) or near-manual (spreadsheet) operations to an electronic system that permits both local and remote operations simultaneously, an improved working environment with reduced administrative overhead.\nIf upper management and other critical stakeholders have trouble understanding the LIMS from the standpoint of being a survival system, you can take several approaches. First, if stakeholders tend to think in terms of dollars more than \"laboratory workflows\" and \"computerized audit trails,\" help them understand LIMS as a survival system in terms of dollars. That may looks something like this: \n\nWell, Stakeholder A, I'm not sure we can survive this competitive market in the long term without a LIMS. Can we afford any fines ($) from lack of compliance with Regulation B, which the lab must firmly adhere to? Can we afford a potential decrease in clientele ($) and business income ($) by not streamlining our laboratory workflow and freeing up full-time equivalent (FTE) hours ($) to take on more paying work ($)? A LIMS also helps us meet Organization Goals C, D, and E, which are critical to the organization's overall survival ($) and success going forward.\nHere, you are weaving something they understand into something you're trying to educate them on: your laboratory's operations and how its survival may very well depend on the LIMS. If they need something more they can identify with, you can also compare the laboratory and a LIMS to their departments and its systems. How vital is the company accounting information system to the accounting department, and how would it operate in a paper-only environment? What would the production environment look like if it were relegated from using its enterprise reporting program (ERP), manufacturing execution system (MES), or product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions to using manual operations? Then compare their responses about regulatory concerns, lost contracts, and production delays to similar concerns related to your lab's operations, highlighting that their systems are no different a \"survival\" concern than the LIMS. As such, acquiring and deploying a LIMS isn't primarily an ROI concern; it's a matter of the organization surviving in an increasingly competitive and regulated environment. Yes, ROI discussions are important, but be sure to impress upon stakeholders in your proposal that there's more to it than that.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Team Asana (8 November 2022). \"6 steps for writing a persuasive project proposal\". asana - Resources. https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/project-proposal . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Martins, J. (5 October 2022). \"The beginner\u2019s guide to writing an effective business case\". asana - Resources. https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/business-case . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 \"3 Quick Tips for Creating a Successful Project Proposal\". Purdue University. 16 September 2022. https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/projectmanagementcertification\/news\/3-quick-tips-for-creating-a-successful-project-proposal\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 4.0 4.1 4.2 Guthrie, G. (28 March 2021). \"Everything you need to know to create a winning business case\". nulab - Learn. https:\/\/nulab.com\/learn\/project-management\/everything-you-need-to-know-to-create-a-winning-business-case\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 5.0 5.1 McDowall, R.D. (1995). \"The Management of Laboratory Information\". In Christy, Alfred A.; Einax, J\u00fcrgen; Hutzinger, Otto. Chemometrics in environmental chemistry - applications. The handbook of environmental chemistry \/ ed. by O. Hutzinger Vol. 2, Reactions and processes. Berlin: Springer. pp. 281\u20132. ISBN 978-3-540-49150-7. https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=YeyjBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA281 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Martins, J. (19 July 2022). \"How to write SMART goals (and why they matter)\". asana - Resources. https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/smart-goals . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:59.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 5 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders_Pitching_the_LIMS_project rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders_Pitching_the_LIMS_project skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/Pitching the LIMS project<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"3.2_Pitching_the_LIMS_project\">3.2 Pitching the LIMS project<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Project_Management_(phases).png\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"9c9c696ddd560f4ebe4516d224edf38e\"><img alt=\"Project Management (phases).png\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/b\/bb\/Project_Management_%28phases%29.png\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>We now better understand that engagement with stakeholders is important to any LIMS acquisition and deployment plans. But what of the proposal itself? What are some optimal approaches to proposing a LIMS project to upper management and other relevant stakeholders? \n<\/p><p>The most common approach to pitching a LIMS project is developing a formal project proposal document. You or someone in your lab may have experience with creating such a document, but it's just as likely that you and your peers haven't needed to pitch a formal proposal to management before. This guide assumes you have limited experience at best in such an endeavor and offers some suggestions.\n<\/p><p>A project proposal is a document (and an initial phase of project management) that condenses critical project aspects such as goals, challenges, timeline, and budget into a form that is succinct and more able to persuade stakeholders to buy into your project emotionally, fiscally, and intellectually. The presentation of this proposal happens early on in the overall project pathway. Note that the project proposal, however, differs slightly from project charters and business cases. A project charter comes after the proposal has gained approval, acting as a reference document that drives the project objectives, scope, and stakeholder requirements stated before and further developed after project approval. Business cases often come after the project proposal has been made, usually requested as an extension to any basic explanation of budget and return on investment (ROI) made in the project proposal. The business case further explains any financial requirements in greater detail for stakeholders, and it can even be integrated into a project proposal to make a more highly detailed initial proposal.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-MartinsTheBeg22_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-MartinsTheBeg22-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-PU3Quick22-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GuthrieEvery21_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GuthrieEvery21-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:1_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:1-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>In the case of pitching a LIMS proposal to upper management and other stakeholders, the project proposal will largely be unsolicited unless those stakeholders specifically came to you and other staff with a request for a proposal concerning quality and efficiency improvement in the lab. In either case, your research and writing still needs to be persuasive and compelling, as it likely won't be clear if the stakeholders have the necessary knowledge and understanding of what a LIMS could bring to your lab.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> Chapter 2 has already addressed the organizational, economic, and practical justifications you may use to make your proposal more persuasive and compelling; these will serve you well. However, organizing these justifications, revelations, and other information in a succinct and clear fashion is another skill worth practicing (we'll talk about that organization shortly). Like other types of writing, knowing your audience well is also critical to making your proposal more compelling. For example, will the stakeholders respond better to a formal tone or a more casually written tone?<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-PU3Quick22-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> Finally, be willing to play the part of expert, even if you're feeling a bit like a fish out of water. Your proposal should clearly indicate why you think the LIMS option is the best option for your lab, followed by a ranking of any alternative options proposed. If you've done the necessary research, your proposal will demonstrate sufficient expertise and give further confidence to stakeholders.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GuthrieEvery21_4-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GuthrieEvery21-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>While there is some room for flexibility in how you organize your proposal, the most common way includes<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-PU3Quick22-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GuthrieEvery21_4-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GuthrieEvery21-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:1_5-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:1-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<ol><li>An executive summary of the proposal;<\/li>\n<li>A project background, including the organizational goals, challenges, and risks being addressed;<\/li>\n<li>A project solution, including how your solution(s) complement the stated goals and address the stated challenges and risks;<\/li>\n<li>A set of defined deliverables and goals, including projected timelines, expected ROI, and other metrics for measuring success;<\/li>\n<li>A declaration of resources, including any projected budgetary and operational requirements and allocations; and<\/li>\n<li>A conclusion, which confidently and clearly restates your case.<\/li><\/ol>\n<p>The executive summary should be brief and succinctly address the goals, challenges, and risk the LIMS project plans to address; how the LIMS will address those goals, challenges, and risks; and the impact the LIMS will demonstrably have upon implementation and use. As these topics will be addressed later in more detail in the project proposal, remember that this introduction serves as the \"hook\" that will help keep stakeholders engaged with your proposal from the beginning.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-3\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> The project background will then tap into the organizational justifications we talked about in Chapter 2.1, including organizational goals and how the current organizational challenges and risks undercut those goals. You also have an opportunity to discuss prior attempts to address those same challenges and risks and how those attempts were inadequate.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-4\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> Your project solution\u2014the LIMS\u2014is then discussed. Here you'll be examining how organizational goals intersect with how a LIMS would positively address organizational challenges and risks. In presenting your solution here, you'll include a vision statement of how the LIMS will positively impact and improve the laboratory environment, as well as the organization overall. You'll also discuss the timeline for the project, who will be involved and what role they'll play, how risk will be mitigated through LIMS implementation and use, what will be delivered, and how progress will be communicated and reported.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-5\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> You'll then address your deliverables and goals, helping to give stakeholders a clearer view into what their approval and resources will gain them. Here the stakeholder should discover the final actionable goals of LIMS acquisition and deployment (they should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound [SMART]), a clearer timeline of the project, and any other deliverable-based metrics of project success.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-6\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-MartinsHowToWrite22_6-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-MartinsHowToWrite22-6\">[6]<\/a><\/sup> The project's declaration of resources will more clearly describe how resources will be allocated to costs and other operational requirements. You may have already mentioned ROI previously in the other sections, but you'll likely want to get into more details at this point to make clearer the projected costs, budget, and resource allocations requirements needed to finally convince stakeholders to approve your LIMS project. Finally, your conclusion should briefly state how the points in the executive summary were addressed, while emphasizing the impact the LIMS will have on the lab and organization in a relevant and clear fashion.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-7\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>The order of the items may be negotiable if a strong case can be made. While your executive summary and conclusion should necessarily remain as the bookends to your proposal, the items in the middle may have some room to move. However, the above order still has advantages. As Purdue University notes<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-3\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-PU3Quick22-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>As you organize the rest of your proposal, consider what makes the most logical sense. Is it a good idea to present success metrics before your plan? Perhaps, if you believe these metrics will be very compelling and viewing them first will appeal to your client. Always consider your audience when creating a proposal.<br \/> <br \/>Additionally, it\u2019s smart to keep resource requests toward the end. Use the earlier sections to sell your idea as best you can. Proving your value early can get stakeholders excited about your ideas and increase the likelihood that they will accommodate your requests.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"3.2.1_A_note_about_focusing_too_much_on_ROI\">3.2.1 A note about focusing too much on ROI<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Cost_Risk_Return_vv.svg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"871fd2ddb4b9f7ecf948469ee638ac3c\"><img alt=\"Cost Risk Return vv.svg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/10\/Cost_Risk_Return_vv.svg\/400px-Cost_Risk_Return_vv.svg.png\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>Undoubtedly, discussing topics like ROI and budgetary requirements are a vital part of any project proposal, and a cost-benefit analysis of most any potential project is a natural and expected part of effectively running an organization. In particular, account and purchase managers traditionally turn to ROI as an accounting tool for making decisions about proposed investments and purchases. However, it turns out that ROI may not be the most important topic of a LIMS project proposal. We already mentioned in the previous chapter how there are intangible benefits to acquiring and deploying a LIMS in your lab, and those intangible benefits can be difficult to translate into any ROI calculations, potentially painting an incomplete picture based on economics. Now consider another reason why ROI may not paint a complete picture to stakeholders participating in your proposal: a LIMS is also a \"survival system.\" \n<\/p><p>Let's consider why stakeholders may have a strong bias towards using ROI to evaluate your proposal. The further removed a stakeholder is from your laboratory in the corporate organizational chart, the less familiar they will be with what your lab does, its operational workflow, and how it contributes to the organization's operations and success. They may not be aware that the progress of research programs depends upon the results your lab generates, or, in the case of QC labs, that the lab is tasked with ensuring that incoming raw materials are suitable for production and avoiding off-spec products from being produced and shipped, catching problems before they become serious. They may not be able to see the bigger picture of lab operations for lack of understanding and knowledge, but they may very well understand and have knowledge about budgets, accounting terms, and the ROI concept. As such, they may not fully appreciate the impact that a LIMS can have on your lab and how it can improve corporate information flow. In short, you have an education problem to resolve if you want their understanding and support. Instinctively, you may want to turn to ROI discussions in your proposal in an attempt to meet them halfway. But there's more to consider with this approach. \n<\/p><p>Let's look at a comparison, using laboratory equipment add-ons vs. base laboratory instrumentation as an example. Within the laboratory space, discussions about ROI are appropriate if you\u2019re discussing upgrading the capabilities of an instrument with additional equipment. For example, suppose you have an instrument, and you want to add equipment to it, such as a chromatograph or an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Back in the day, they were sold without computers and used a strip chart recorder to record their output. The analyst's work included sample preparation, introducing the sample into the instrument (manually), and taking the strip chart output and converting it to usable results when all the samples were processed. All the work was performed manually. \n<\/p><p>If we wanted to add a computerized tool to capture the instrument data and perform the analysis, we could build a case that the computer system would cost a certain amount, and we'd then determine how much time it would save the analyst, as well as any other benefits, and finally justify the purchase. Adding an auto-injector could be done the same way, and adding both would create a synergist improvement that far outweighs the equipment cost. Here ROI is a perfectly useful basis for justification of the equipment add-on. But that doesn't extend to the basic instrument.\n<\/p><p>The lab's role is to carry out testing to meet its goals. The instrument is needed to make it possible to do the required testing. The justification for the instrument isn't based on ROI but rather on the need to accomplish the lab's goals so the overall organization benefits. The justification for having and maintaining the instrument is a survival issue. The lab can't fulfill its role without the instrument, as the data needed to support research and production hinges upon having that reliable, accurate, well-maintained instrument. Without the data, the research program is hindered, and production won't know if its products will meet specifications. \n<\/p><p>Similarly, a LIMS can be argued as a survival system during project proposal, without which the lab could not effectively meet its goals. (Again, this is where tying LIMS acquisition to organizational goals, as discussed at the beginning of Chapter 2, is vital to your proposal.) The LIMS, as detailed throughout this guide, can be seen as a transformational system for most any lab. Sure, small labs can manage to function with paper-based or spreadsheet systems. Still, they will soon become overwhelmed with data management, reporting, and inefficient\/ineffective operations management issues. Properly implementing a LIMS will increase the operational effectiveness of a lab and help it meet organizational goals and regulatory requirements. It is not just an incremental addition to a lab product set but rather the basis for reorganizing how the lab works to meet its goals, supports its clients with electronic communications, and prepares it for its future development. In short, you will be moving from completely manual (paper) or near-manual (spreadsheet) operations to an electronic system that permits both local and remote operations simultaneously, an improved working environment with reduced administrative overhead.\n<\/p><p>If upper management and other critical stakeholders have trouble understanding the LIMS from the standpoint of being a survival system, you can take several approaches. First, if stakeholders tend to think in terms of dollars more than \"laboratory workflows\" and \"computerized audit trails,\" help them understand LIMS as a survival system in terms of dollars. That may looks something like this: \n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Well, Stakeholder A, I'm not sure we can survive this competitive market in the long term without a LIMS. Can we afford any fines ($) from lack of compliance with Regulation B, which the lab must firmly adhere to? Can we afford a potential decrease in clientele ($) and business income ($) by not streamlining our laboratory workflow and freeing up full-time equivalent (FTE) hours ($) to take on more paying work ($)? A LIMS also helps us meet Organization Goals C, D, and E, which are critical to the organization's overall survival ($) and success going forward.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Here, you are weaving something they understand into something you're trying to educate them on: your laboratory's operations and how its survival may very well depend on the LIMS. If they need something more they can identify with, you can also compare the laboratory and a LIMS to their departments and its systems. How vital is the company accounting information system to the accounting department, and how would it operate in a paper-only environment? What would the production environment look like if it were relegated from using its enterprise reporting program (ERP), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Manufacturing_execution_system\" title=\"Manufacturing execution system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"02e93282eda3e4708b1789cb47519917\">manufacturing execution system<\/a> (MES), or product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions to using manual operations? Then compare their responses about regulatory concerns, lost contracts, and production delays to similar concerns related to your lab's operations, highlighting that their systems are no different a \"survival\" concern than the LIMS. As such, acquiring and deploying a LIMS isn't primarily an ROI concern; it's a matter of the organization surviving in an increasingly competitive and regulated environment. Yes, ROI discussions are important, but be sure to impress upon stakeholders in your proposal that there's more to it than that.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-TA6Steps22-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-0\">1.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-1\">1.1<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-2\">1.2<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-3\">1.3<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-4\">1.4<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-5\">1.5<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-6\">1.6<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-TA6Steps22_1-7\">1.7<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Team Asana (8 November 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/project-proposal\" target=\"_blank\">\"6 steps for writing a persuasive project proposal\"<\/a>. <i>asana - Resources<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/project-proposal\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/project-proposal<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=6+steps+for+writing+a+persuasive+project+proposal&rft.atitle=asana+-+Resources&rft.aulast=Team+Asana&rft.au=Team+Asana&rft.date=8+November+2022&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fasana.com%2Fresources%2Fproject-proposal&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-MartinsTheBeg22-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-MartinsTheBeg22_2-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Martins, J. (5 October 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/business-case\" target=\"_blank\">\"The beginner\u2019s guide to writing an effective business case\"<\/a>. <i>asana - Resources<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/business-case\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/business-case<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=The+beginner%E2%80%99s+guide+to+writing+an+effective+business+case&rft.atitle=asana+-+Resources&rft.aulast=Martins%2C+J.&rft.au=Martins%2C+J.&rft.date=5+October+2022&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fasana.com%2Fresources%2Fbusiness-case&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-PU3Quick22-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-0\">3.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-1\">3.1<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-2\">3.2<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-PU3Quick22_3-3\">3.3<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/projectmanagementcertification\/news\/3-quick-tips-for-creating-a-successful-project-proposal\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"3 Quick Tips for Creating a Successful Project Proposal\"<\/a>. Purdue University. 16 September 2022<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/projectmanagementcertification\/news\/3-quick-tips-for-creating-a-successful-project-proposal\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/projectmanagementcertification\/news\/3-quick-tips-for-creating-a-successful-project-proposal\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=3+Quick+Tips+for+Creating+a+Successful+Project+Proposal&rft.atitle=&rft.date=16+September+2022&rft.pub=Purdue+University&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.purdue.edu%2Fprojectmanagementcertification%2Fnews%2F3-quick-tips-for-creating-a-successful-project-proposal%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-GuthrieEvery21-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-GuthrieEvery21_4-0\">4.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-GuthrieEvery21_4-1\">4.1<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-GuthrieEvery21_4-2\">4.2<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Guthrie, G. (28 March 2021). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/nulab.com\/learn\/project-management\/everything-you-need-to-know-to-create-a-winning-business-case\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"Everything you need to know to create a winning business case\"<\/a>. <i>nulab - Learn<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/nulab.com\/learn\/project-management\/everything-you-need-to-know-to-create-a-winning-business-case\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/nulab.com\/learn\/project-management\/everything-you-need-to-know-to-create-a-winning-business-case\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. 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(1995). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=YeyjBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA281\" target=\"_blank\">\"The Management of Laboratory Information\"<\/a>. In Christy, Alfred A.; Einax, J\u00fcrgen; Hutzinger, Otto. <i>Chemometrics in environmental chemistry - applications<\/i>. The handbook of environmental chemistry \/ ed. by O. Hutzinger Vol. 2, Reactions and processes. Berlin: Springer. pp. 281\u20132. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-3-540-49150-7<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=YeyjBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA281\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=YeyjBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA281<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=The+Management+of+Laboratory+Information&rft.atitle=Chemometrics+in+environmental+chemistry+-+applications&rft.aulast=McDowall%2C+R.D.&rft.au=McDowall%2C+R.D.&rft.date=1995&rft.series=The+handbook+of+environmental+chemistry+%2F+ed.+by+O.+Hutzinger+Vol.+2%2C+Reactions+and+processes&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B281%E2%80%932&rft.place=Berlin&rft.pub=Springer&rft.isbn=978-3-540-49150-7&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DYeyjBwAAQBAJ%26pg%3DPA281&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-MartinsHowToWrite22-6\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-MartinsHowToWrite22_6-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Martins, J. (19 July 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/smart-goals\" target=\"_blank\">\"How to write SMART goals (and why they matter)\"<\/a>. <i>asana - Resources<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/smart-goals\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/asana.com\/resources\/smart-goals<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=How+to+write+SMART+goals+%28and+why+they+matter%29&rft.atitle=asana+-+Resources&rft.aulast=Martins%2C+J.&rft.au=Martins%2C+J.&rft.date=19+July+2022&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fasana.com%2Fresources%2Fsmart-goals&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151428\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.130 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.149 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 4574\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 47147\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 11509\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 18\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 12086\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 125.910 1 -total\n 83.99% 105.748 1 Template:Reflist\n 61.50% 77.439 6 Template:Citation\/core\n 46.55% 58.609 5 Template:Cite_web\n 25.14% 31.658 1 Template:Cite_book\n 15.94% 20.076 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\n 11.97% 15.065 6 Template:Date\n 8.43% 10.610 1 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 4.28% 5.386 11 Template:Citation\/make_link\n 2.54% 3.195 1 Template:Only_in_print\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14324-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151428 and revision id 52654. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/b\/bb\/Project_Management_%28phases%29.png","https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/10\/Cost_Risk_Return_vv.svg\/800px-Cost_Risk_Return_vv.svg.png"],"c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a_timestamp":1690384838,"ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_type":"article","ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_title":"3.1 The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in","ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in","ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-inFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n3. Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders \nLaboratory-based organizations have projects, which ideally align with organizational goals. These projects may be small and simple (e.g., acquire new hot plates and stirrers as ours are currently failing) or large and complex (e.g., combine our data lakes, reduce IT requirements, and acquire software tools to better manage the data). In all cases, these projects inevitably have some impact on organizational stakeholders, and they often require some sort of approval before they begin. This means gaining buy-in from upper management or some other set of stakeholders.\nThe key to gaining buy-in for a project lies in \"understanding\"; if organizational leadership and other critical stakeholders understand why a proposed project is important to the organization, they are more likely to do what they can to support your project and ensure the project goals are met.[1] Is there still a possibility a proposed laboratory information management system (LIMS) acquisition and deployment may get rejected by management despite understanding the potential benefits to the organization? Of course there is, particularly if the organizational budget is tight or some other external factor is influencing the decision. But those factors are largely out of your control; you can only focus on prompting greater understanding of the organizational and personnel benefits that can be realized and taking the time to better understand any resistance made to the proposed changes. That's what the previous two chapters of this guide have helped you prepare for. \nThis third chapter will, ideally, help you put what you've learned from the prior two chapters together to pitch a LIMS acquisition and deployment proposal to not only upper management but also any other critical stakeholders that should be involved with the decision. It will also help you better understand stakeholder engagement and address resistance to the proposal.\n\r\n\n\n 3.1 The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in \nUpper management is usually who we think of when considering who has an important stake in a proposed LIMS acquisition and deployment project. There may be other stakeholders who have a say in the project, especially whether or not it is approved financially, but upper management buy-in is critical for your project. Depending on who those people are and what experiences they have with laboratory automation, this process may vary in difficulty. Upper management who are educated in the various details of the laboratory business and the value of automation will likely be easier to pitch to versus those who know little about optimizing laboratory workflows. This is where all the work from the previous two chapters comes in; it's time to help them understand how the organization and its people can flourish with the LIMS.\nIf you're dealing with knowledgeable management, you may see this justification process as a straightforward task. However, regardless of the level of laboratory knowledge management has, these stakeholders may raise one or more concerns about LIMS acquisition. Some of their perceptions and concerns might be rooted in past experiences or comments about computerized systems from the late twentieth century, or the failures of similar software projects by other organizations. Among those management concerns could be the following:\n\nThey may ask why the LIMS is important now versus six months ago, wanting to know what has changed.\nThey may ask what happens if the organization waits six to twelve months to decide whether a LIMS makes sense.\nThey may have investigated the subject of LIMS, seen it as another software project, and been concerned about opening a financial black hole.\nThey may be concerned about adding more stress to an already overloaded IT organization.\nThey may ask if the implementation can be done in a reasonable amount of time, and if the organization has the financial resources and expertise needed to get the job done.\nThey may ask if there are alternatives to LIMS that might be less costly and easier to implement.\nDon't be put off by these concerns, or most any other rejection or resistance; trying to change people or an organization naturally leads to resistance, as people typically don't care much for change itself. This fact is vital to understand in the scope of acquiring buy-in for your LIMS project, which will require involving the right stakeholders from the very beginning. In her book Leading Business Change: A Practical Guide to Transforming Your Organization, author Karin Stumpf highlights this fact as such[2]:\n\nWhen you try to change people or an organization, you will encounter a multitude of rejections. If you do not deliberately and successfully extend your circle of influence to include the right people and stakeholder groups, you will undoubtedly encounter major resistance\u2014from critical gatekeepers, from peers, from subordinates, and from all those affected by the changes. Some issues might just be individual ones, linked to power, social hierarchy, or self-interest. However, some resistance might be well-founded and, if addressed adequately, can help you avoid major pitfalls.\r\n \r\nI have seen change leaders wait until the populating phase of a project before reaching out to an affected stakeholder group for the first time. By then, the rumors had spread and resistance had taken a foothold.\nEven if the attempt to gain upper management's buy-in is made early on, resistance is natural, whether it's emotionally based or a rational response to the proposal. This is where the \"understanding\" mentioned in the introduction comes into play; in both emotional and rational rejection, a lack of understanding from the stakeholders, and even the project proposer, is often the root cause. In some cases, an actual need may not be met from the proposal, requiring further dialogue. Stumpf further highlights these issues[2]:\n\nSometimes resistance is emotionally based. Perhaps a person fears getting out of their comfort zone or resents being given more work. Often, though, resistance is a rational response. If someone does not see the need for change or disagrees with the solution, they may try to block the project. Also, if an employee does not know how to effectively interact with a new tool or how to be productive in the process, the employee may resist. Last but not least, people may resist because there is a real problem\u2014your plan may have not addressed a real need, the tools may be substantially flawed, or the structure may leave a serious gap in operations. It could be that some people see that you do not have the requisite budget or buy-in from upper management. Because they believe your project will ultimately fail, why should they invest their time and energy?\nStumpf's statements emphasize the importance of upper management and critical stakeholder buy-in, as without it, an under-funded, under-supported LIMS project hindered by lack of understanding and lack of stakeholder engagement has cascading effects. This means taking your LIMS acquisition proposal seriously, involving upper management and other stakeholders, helping them understand the implications of the project, addressing their concerns and resistance, and conducting the necessary research to make the most relevant and convincing proposal as possible.\nSo far we've talked about primarily winning over upper management for a proposed LIMS acquisition and deployment project, but it's not always that simple, especially within larger organizations. While management is often a stakeholder in an organizational project, there often are other stakeholders inside and outside the organization. A \"stakeholder,\" as defined by ISO 26000 Social responsibility, is defined as an \"individual or group that has an interest in any decision or activity of an organization.\"[3] As such, identified stakeholders of the decision to acquire and deploy a LIMS could be anyone from IT personnel to the laboratory's clients, and anything in between. In some cases the number of apparent stakeholders, at first glance, may become daunting, requiring a formal stakeholder identification process that asks questions such as \"who can help the organization address specific impacts?\" or \"who would be disadvantaged if excluded from stakeholder engagement?\" Once identified, those stakeholders may be further separated into those most directly impacted by the LIMS decision vs. those who are only indirectly impacted.[3] From there, more refined decisions can be made as to who will be included in the LIMS justification process.\nConducting relations (i.e., interacting) with these stakeholders\u2014management and otherwise\u2014can be seen as stakeholder engagement. Involving management and other stakeholders demonstrates a commitment to the engagement process, as well to its importance. Kujala et al. define \"stakeholder engagement\" as \"the aims, activities, and impacts of stakeholder relations in a moral, strategic, and\/or pragmatic manner.\"[4] Their definition, based on a literature review and descriptive analysis of academic literature, provides a wide level of applicability to organizations of many types, and it highlights the benefits of engagement, as well as why it's valuable in particular to gaining buy-in of LIMS acquisition. \nTable 9 shows an adapted version of the work of Kujala et al., highlighting how the different components of stakeholder engagement can benefit the organization. From this chart, we can see how a stakeholder may be more likely to buy into LIMS acquisition (or any other organizational decision) through a stakeholder engagement process that takes into account multiple aspects. If, for example, a stakeholder is involved with determining the potential strategic impacts (from Table 9, find the Strategic row and move right to the Impacts column) of a LIMS, the potential end result of that stakeholder engagement could yield improved efficiency, a greater competitive advantage, greater innovation, and an enhanced reputation for the organization overall.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 9. A tabular view of the benefits of stakeholder engagement, based on the definition by Kujala et al. and adapted from their research.[4]\n\n\nComponent\n\nAims\n\nActivities\n\nImpacts\n\n\nMoral\n\n\n\u2022 Legitimacy, trust, and fairness\r\n\n\u2022 Corporate responsibility and sustainability\r\n\n\u2022 Stakeholder inclusion and accountability\n\n\n\n\u2022 Stakeholder empowerment\r\n\n\u2022 Democratic activities\n\n\n\n\u2022 Enhanced social and ecological well-being\r\n\n\u2022 Giving voice to stakeholders\r\n\n\u2022 Stakeholder value\n\n\n\nStrategic\n\n\n\u2022 Financial performance, risk management, and value creation\r\n\n\u2022 Knowledge creation and learning\r\n\n\u2022 Reputation building\n\n\n\n\u2022 One-way and two-way communication activities\r\n\n\u2022 Co-creation\r\n\n\u2022 Supportive organizational structures\n\n\n\n\u2022 Improved efficiency and competitive advantage\r\n\n\u2022 Innovation\r\n\n\u2022 Enhanced reputation\n\n\n\nPragmatic\n\n\n\u2022 Context-dependent problem-solving and decision-making\r\n\n\u2022 Organizational and societal development\n\n\n\n\u2022 Collaborative and dialogic activities\r\n\n\u2022 Relationship cultivation\n\n\n\n\u2022 Broad stakeholder involvement\r\n\n\u2022 Inclusive accountability and disclosure activities\r\n\n\u2022 Achieved resolutions\n\n\n\n\nOutside of upper-level organizational management, LIMS consultancy Third Wave Analytics breaks down a laboratory-based organization's LIMS stakeholders into five groups, while adding what value a LIMS adds for each group. When you seek buy-in from any of these stakeholder groups, it will be useful to keep these potential benefits in mind during justification processes[5]:\n\nLaboratory technicians and sample testing personnel: These stakeholders realize improvements from knowing sample status and location, using sample processing protocols, having automated data capture and analysis, and managing training activities.\nLaboratory managers and supervisors: These stakeholders realize improvements from having more granular sample management tools, tracking inventory, managing analytical test scheduling, and verifying regulatory training requirements are met.\nLaboratory directors and clinical lab scientists: These stakeholders realize improvement from having the tools to manage sample review and sign-out, identifying documents that require review and approval, and tracking quality control procedures for reagents and instruments.\nQuality assurance and quality management services personnel: These stakeholders realize improvement from ensuring the appropriate review and storage of all testing and quality control (QC) data, managing controlled documents, and auditing lab data and records.\nResearch personnel: These stakeholders realize improvement from ensuring the difference between clinical and research samples, seeing which samples and data are associate with which studies\/projects, and querying data from a single location.\nNow that we've discussed why gaining buy-in from upper management and other critical stakeholders is important, let's take a closer look at the actual LIMS proposal process.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 Mills, R. (20 December 2021). \"Getting stakeholder buy-in across a siloed organization\". GatherContent. https:\/\/gathercontent.com\/blog\/getting-stakeholder-buy-in-across-a-siloed-organisation . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 2.0 2.1 Stumpf, K. (2015). Leading Business Change: A Practical Guide to Transforming Your Organization. CRC Press. pp. 80\u201382. ISBN 978-1-4987-2662-7. https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Lu35CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA80 .   \n \n\n\u2191 3.0 3.1 \"Stakeholders\". Quality Resources. American Society for Quality. https:\/\/asq.org\/quality-resources\/stakeholders . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 4.0 4.1 Kujala, Johanna; Sachs, Sybille; Leinonen, Heta; Heikkinen, Anna; Laude, Daniel (1 May 2022). \"Stakeholder Engagement: Past, Present, and Future\" (in en). Business & Society 61 (5): 1136\u20131196. doi:10.1177\/00076503211066595. ISSN 0007-6503. http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/00076503211066595 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Third Wave Analytics (14 September 2022). \"How Each Lab Stakeholder Can Benefit from a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)\". Third Wave Analytics, Inc. https:\/\/thirdwaveanalytics.com\/blog\/how-each-lab-stakeholder-can-benefit-from-a-laboratory-information-management-system-lims\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:58.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 6 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders_The_importance_of_manager_and_stakeholder_buy-in rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders_The_importance_of_manager_and_stakeholder_buy-in skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"3._Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\">3. Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Noun_project_organization_icon.svg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"b393b45fbf64b8bf9d2b9714952611f8\"><img alt=\"Noun project organization icon.svg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Noun_project_organization_icon.svg\/250px-Noun_project_organization_icon.svg.png\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" \/><\/a><\/div><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory\" title=\"Laboratory\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"c57fc5aac9e4abf31dccae81df664c33\">Laboratory<\/a>-based organizations have projects, which ideally align with organizational goals. These projects may be small and simple (e.g., acquire new hot plates and stirrers as ours are currently failing) or large and complex (e.g., combine our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Data_lake\" title=\"Data lake\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"cbe28db47d4d3ce56b947c2959cc9eea\">data lakes<\/a>, reduce IT requirements, and acquire software tools to better manage the data). In all cases, these projects inevitably have some impact on organizational stakeholders, and they often require some sort of approval before they begin. This means gaining buy-in from upper management or some other set of stakeholders.\n<\/p><p>The key to gaining buy-in for a project lies in \"understanding\"; if organizational leadership and other critical stakeholders understand why a proposed project is important to the organization, they are more likely to do what they can to support your project and ensure the project goals are met.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-MillsGetting21_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-MillsGetting21-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> Is there still a possibility a proposed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_management_system\" title=\"Laboratory information management system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8ff56a51d34c9b1806fcebdcde634d00\">laboratory information management system<\/a> (LIMS) acquisition and deployment may get rejected by management despite understanding the potential benefits to the organization? Of course there is, particularly if the organizational budget is tight or some other external factor is influencing the decision. But those factors are largely out of your control; you can only focus on prompting greater understanding of the organizational and personnel benefits that can be realized and taking the time to better understand any resistance made to the proposed changes. That's what the previous two chapters of this guide have helped you prepare for. \n<\/p><p>This third chapter will, ideally, help you put what you've learned from the prior two chapters together to pitch a LIMS acquisition and deployment proposal to not only upper management but also any other critical stakeholders that should be involved with the decision. It will also help you better understand stakeholder engagement and address resistance to the proposal.\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"rdp-ebb-3.1_The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"3.1_The_importance_of_manager_.28and_stakeholder.29_buy-in\">3.1 The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Upper management is usually who we think of when considering who has an important stake in a proposed LIMS acquisition and deployment project. There may be other stakeholders who have a say in the project, especially whether or not it is approved financially, but upper management buy-in is critical for your project. Depending on who those people are and what experiences they have with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_automation\" title=\"Laboratory automation\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"0061880849aeaca05f8aa27ae171f331\">laboratory automation<\/a>, this process may vary in difficulty. Upper management who are educated in the various details of the laboratory business and the value of automation will likely be easier to pitch to versus those who know little about optimizing laboratory workflows. This is where all the work from the previous two chapters comes in; it's time to help them understand how the organization and its people can flourish with the LIMS.\n<\/p><p>If you're dealing with knowledgeable management, you may see this justification process as a straightforward task. However, regardless of the level of laboratory knowledge management has, these stakeholders may raise one or more concerns about LIMS acquisition. Some of their perceptions and concerns might be rooted in past experiences or comments about computerized systems from the late twentieth century, or the failures of similar software projects by other organizations. Among those management concerns could be the following:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>They may ask why the LIMS is important now versus six months ago, wanting to know what has changed.<\/li>\n<li>They may ask what happens if the organization waits six to twelve months to decide whether a LIMS makes sense.<\/li>\n<li>They may have investigated the subject of LIMS, seen it as another software project, and been concerned about opening a financial black hole.<\/li>\n<li>They may be concerned about adding more stress to an already overloaded IT organization.<\/li>\n<li>They may ask if the implementation can be done in a reasonable amount of time, and if the organization has the financial resources and expertise needed to get the job done.<\/li>\n<li>They may ask if there are alternatives to LIMS that might be less costly and easier to implement.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Don't be put off by these concerns, or most any other rejection or resistance; trying to change people or an organization naturally leads to resistance, as people typically don't care much for change itself. This fact is vital to understand in the scope of acquiring buy-in for your LIMS project, which will require involving the right stakeholders from the very beginning. In her book <i>Leading Business Change: A Practical Guide to Transforming Your Organization<\/i>, author Karin Stumpf highlights this fact as such<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:0_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:0-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>When you try to change people or an organization, you will encounter a multitude of rejections. If you do not deliberately and successfully extend your circle of influence to include the right people and stakeholder groups, you will undoubtedly encounter major resistance\u2014from critical gatekeepers, from peers, from subordinates, and from all those affected by the changes. Some issues might just be individual ones, linked to power, social hierarchy, or self-interest. However, some resistance might be well-founded and, if addressed adequately, can help you avoid major pitfalls.<br \/> <br \/>I have seen change leaders wait until the populating phase of a project before reaching out to an affected stakeholder group for the first time. By then, the rumors had spread and resistance had taken a foothold.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Even if the attempt to gain upper management's buy-in is made early on, resistance is natural, whether it's emotionally based or a rational response to the proposal. This is where the \"understanding\" mentioned in the introduction comes into play; in both emotional and rational rejection, a lack of understanding from the stakeholders, and even the project proposer, is often the root cause. In some cases, an actual need may not be met from the proposal, requiring further dialogue. Stumpf further highlights these issues<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:0_2-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:0-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Sometimes resistance is emotionally based. Perhaps a person fears getting out of their comfort zone or resents being given more work. Often, though, resistance is a rational response. If someone does not see the need for change or disagrees with the solution, they may try to block the project. Also, if an employee does not know how to effectively interact with a new tool or how to be productive in the process, the employee may resist. Last but not least, people may resist because there is a real problem\u2014your plan may have not addressed a real need, the tools may be substantially flawed, or the structure may leave a serious gap in operations. It could be that some people see that you do not have the requisite budget or buy-in from upper management. Because they believe your project will ultimately fail, why should they invest their time and energy?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Stumpf's statements emphasize the importance of upper management and critical stakeholder buy-in, as without it, an under-funded, under-supported LIMS project hindered by lack of understanding and lack of stakeholder engagement has cascading effects. This means taking your LIMS acquisition proposal seriously, involving upper management and other stakeholders, helping them understand the implications of the project, addressing their concerns and resistance, and conducting the necessary research to make the most relevant and convincing proposal as possible.\n<\/p><p>So far we've talked about primarily winning over upper management for a proposed LIMS acquisition and deployment project, but it's not always that simple, especially within larger organizations. While management is often a stakeholder in an organizational project, there often are other stakeholders inside and outside the organization. A \"stakeholder,\" as defined by ISO 26000 <i>Social responsibility<\/i>, is defined as an \"individual or group that has an interest in any decision or activity of an organization.\"<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ASQStake_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ASQStake-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> As such, identified stakeholders of the decision to acquire and deploy a LIMS could be anyone from IT personnel to the laboratory's clients, and anything in between. In some cases the number of apparent stakeholders, at first glance, may become daunting, requiring a formal stakeholder identification process that asks questions such as \"who can help the organization address specific impacts?\" or \"who would be disadvantaged if excluded from stakeholder engagement?\" Once identified, those stakeholders may be further separated into those most directly impacted by the LIMS decision vs. those who are only indirectly impacted.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ASQStake_3-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ASQStake-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> From there, more refined decisions can be made as to who will be included in the LIMS justification process.\n<\/p><p>Conducting relations (i.e., interacting) with these stakeholders\u2014management and otherwise\u2014can be seen as stakeholder engagement. Involving management and other stakeholders demonstrates a commitment to the engagement process, as well to its importance. Kujala <i>et al.<\/i> define \"stakeholder engagement\" as \"the aims, activities, and impacts of stakeholder relations in a moral, strategic, and\/or pragmatic manner.\"<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-KujalaStake22_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-KujalaStake22-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup> Their definition, based on a literature review and descriptive analysis of academic literature, provides a wide level of applicability to organizations of many types, and it highlights the benefits of engagement, as well as why it's valuable in particular to gaining buy-in of LIMS acquisition. \n<\/p><p>Table 9 shows an adapted version of the work of Kujala <i>et al.<\/i>, highlighting how the different components of stakeholder engagement can benefit the organization. From this chart, we can see how a stakeholder may be more likely to buy into LIMS acquisition (or any other organizational decision) through a stakeholder engagement process that takes into account multiple aspects. If, for example, a stakeholder is involved with determining the potential strategic impacts (from Table 9, find the Strategic row and move right to the Impacts column) of a LIMS, the potential end result of that stakeholder engagement could yield improved efficiency, a greater competitive advantage, greater innovation, and an enhanced reputation for the organization overall.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<dl><dd><table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"4\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 9.<\/b> A tabular view of the benefits of stakeholder engagement, based on the definition by Kujala <i>et al.<\/i> and adapted from their research.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-KujalaStake22_4-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-KujalaStake22-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><i>Component<\/i>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Aims\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Activities\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Impacts\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Moral<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Legitimacy, trust, and fairness<br \/>\n\u2022 Corporate responsibility and sustainability<br \/>\n\u2022 Stakeholder inclusion and accountability\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Stakeholder empowerment<br \/>\n\u2022 Democratic activities\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Enhanced social and ecological well-being<br \/>\n\u2022 Giving voice to stakeholders<br \/>\n\u2022 Stakeholder value\n<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Strategic<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Financial performance, risk management, and value creation<br \/>\n\u2022 Knowledge creation and learning<br \/>\n\u2022 Reputation building\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 One-way and two-way communication activities<br \/>\n\u2022 Co-creation<br \/>\n\u2022 Supportive organizational structures\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Improved efficiency and competitive advantage<br \/>\n\u2022 Innovation<br \/>\n\u2022 Enhanced reputation\n<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Pragmatic<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Context-dependent problem-solving and decision-making<br \/>\n\u2022 Organizational and societal development\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Collaborative and dialogic activities<br \/>\n\u2022 Relationship cultivation\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>\u2022 Broad stakeholder involvement<br \/>\n\u2022 Inclusive accountability and disclosure activities<br \/>\n\u2022 Achieved resolutions\n<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/dd><\/dl>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>Outside of upper-level organizational management, LIMS consultancy Third Wave Analytics breaks down a laboratory-based organization's LIMS stakeholders into five groups, while adding what value a LIMS adds for each group. When you seek buy-in from any of these stakeholder groups, it will be useful to keep these potential benefits in mind during justification processes<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-TWAHowEach22_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-TWAHowEach22-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li><i>Laboratory technicians and sample testing personnel<\/i>: These stakeholders realize improvements from knowing sample status and location, using sample processing protocols, having automated data capture and analysis, and managing training activities.<\/li>\n<li><i>Laboratory managers and supervisors<\/i>: These stakeholders realize improvements from having more granular sample management tools, tracking inventory, managing analytical test scheduling, and verifying regulatory training requirements are met.<\/li>\n<li><i>Laboratory directors and clinical lab scientists<\/i>: These stakeholders realize improvement from having the tools to manage sample review and sign-out, identifying documents that require review and approval, and tracking quality control procedures for reagents and instruments.<\/li>\n<li><i>Quality assurance and quality management services personnel<\/i>: These stakeholders realize improvement from ensuring the appropriate review and storage of all testing and quality control (QC) data, managing controlled documents, and auditing lab data and records.<\/li>\n<li><i>Research personnel<\/i>: These stakeholders realize improvement from ensuring the difference between clinical and research samples, seeing which samples and data are associate with which studies\/projects, and querying data from a single location.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Now that we've discussed why gaining buy-in from upper management and other critical stakeholders is important, let's take a closer look at the actual LIMS proposal process.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-MillsGetting21-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-MillsGetting21_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Mills, R. (20 December 2021). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/gathercontent.com\/blog\/getting-stakeholder-buy-in-across-a-siloed-organisation\" target=\"_blank\">\"Getting stakeholder buy-in across a siloed organization\"<\/a>. <i>GatherContent<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/gathercontent.com\/blog\/getting-stakeholder-buy-in-across-a-siloed-organisation\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/gathercontent.com\/blog\/getting-stakeholder-buy-in-across-a-siloed-organisation<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Getting+stakeholder+buy-in+across+a+siloed+organization&rft.atitle=GatherContent&rft.aulast=Mills%2C+R.&rft.au=Mills%2C+R.&rft.date=20+December+2021&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fgathercontent.com%2Fblog%2Fgetting-stakeholder-buy-in-across-a-siloed-organisation&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-:0-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-:0_2-0\">2.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-:0_2-1\">2.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation book\">Stumpf, K. (2015). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Lu35CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA80\" target=\"_blank\"><i>Leading Business Change: A Practical Guide to Transforming Your Organization<\/i><\/a>. CRC Press. pp. 80\u201382. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-1-4987-2662-7<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Lu35CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA80\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Lu35CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA80<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Leading+Business+Change%3A+A+Practical+Guide+to+Transforming+Your+Organization&rft.aulast=Stumpf%2C+K.&rft.au=Stumpf%2C+K.&rft.date=2015&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B80%E2%80%9382&rft.pub=CRC+Press&rft.isbn=978-1-4987-2662-7&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DLu35CQAAQBAJ%26pg%3DPA80&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ASQStake-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-ASQStake_3-0\">3.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-ASQStake_3-1\">3.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/asq.org\/quality-resources\/stakeholders\" target=\"_blank\">\"Stakeholders\"<\/a>. <i>Quality Resources<\/i>. American Society for Quality<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/asq.org\/quality-resources\/stakeholders\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/asq.org\/quality-resources\/stakeholders<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Stakeholders&rft.atitle=Quality+Resources&rft.pub=American+Society+for+Quality&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fasq.org%2Fquality-resources%2Fstakeholders&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-KujalaStake22-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-KujalaStake22_4-0\">4.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-KujalaStake22_4-1\">4.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Kujala, Johanna; Sachs, Sybille; Leinonen, Heta; Heikkinen, Anna; Laude, Daniel (1 May 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/00076503211066595\" target=\"_blank\">\"Stakeholder Engagement: Past, Present, and Future\"<\/a> (in en). <i>Business & Society<\/i> <b>61<\/b> (5): 1136\u20131196. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1177%2F00076503211066595\" target=\"_blank\">10.1177\/00076503211066595<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Serial_Number\" data-key=\"a5dec3e4d005e654c29ad167ab53f53a\">ISSN<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/issn\/0007-6503\" target=\"_blank\">0007-6503<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/00076503211066595\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/00076503211066595<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Stakeholder+Engagement%3A+Past%2C+Present%2C+and+Future&rft.jtitle=Business+%26+Society&rft.aulast=Kujala&rft.aufirst=Johanna&rft.au=Kujala%2C%26%2332%3BJohanna&rft.au=Sachs%2C%26%2332%3BSybille&rft.au=Leinonen%2C%26%2332%3BHeta&rft.au=Heikkinen%2C%26%2332%3BAnna&rft.au=Laude%2C%26%2332%3BDaniel&rft.date=1+May+2022&rft.volume=61&rft.issue=5&rft.pages=1136%E2%80%931196&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1177%2F00076503211066595&rft.issn=0007-6503&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fjournals.sagepub.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1177%2F00076503211066595&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-TWAHowEach22-5\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-TWAHowEach22_5-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Third Wave Analytics (14 September 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/thirdwaveanalytics.com\/blog\/how-each-lab-stakeholder-can-benefit-from-a-laboratory-information-management-system-lims\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"How Each Lab Stakeholder Can Benefit from a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)\"<\/a>. Third Wave Analytics, Inc<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/thirdwaveanalytics.com\/blog\/how-each-lab-stakeholder-can-benefit-from-a-laboratory-information-management-system-lims\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/thirdwaveanalytics.com\/blog\/how-each-lab-stakeholder-can-benefit-from-a-laboratory-information-management-system-lims\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=How+Each+Lab+Stakeholder+Can+Benefit+from+a+Laboratory+Information+Management+System+%28LIMS%29&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Third+Wave+Analytics&rft.au=Third+Wave+Analytics&rft.date=14+September+2022&rft.pub=Third+Wave+Analytics%2C+Inc&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fthirdwaveanalytics.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-each-lab-stakeholder-can-benefit-from-a-laboratory-information-management-system-lims%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151428\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.112 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.130 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 3823\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 44654\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 9539\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 19\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 9814\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 106.458 1 -total\n 89.93% 95.742 1 Template:Reflist\n 58.01% 61.754 5 Template:Citation\/core\n 37.22% 39.622 3 Template:Cite_web\n 21.11% 22.473 1 Template:Cite_book\n 17.07% 18.173 1 Template:Cite_journal\n 11.43% 12.163 3 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 9.93% 10.576 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\n 9.78% 10.407 3 Template:Date\n 4.43% 4.719 7 Template:Citation\/make_link\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14323-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151427 and revision id 52653. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Noun_project_organization_icon.svg\/500px-Noun_project_organization_icon.svg.png"],"ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384_timestamp":1690384838,"2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_type":"article","2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_title":"2.3 Practical considerations and justifications","2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications","2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Practical considerations and justificationsFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\nContents \n\n1 2.3 Practical considerations and justifications \n\n1.1 2.3.1 Tangible benefits \n1.2 2.3.2 Intangible benefits \n\n\n2 References \n3 Citation information for this chapter \n\n\n\n2.3 Practical considerations and justifications \nSo far, we've looked primarily at the economic justifications for LIMS acquisition and deployment, with a few nods to why it makes practical sense (e.g., reducing data entry errors). Let's take a closer look at more practical justifications, both tangible and intangible.\n2.3.1 Tangible benefits \nHere we provide examples of more tangible benefits to LIMS acquisition and deployment. Much of this list comes from the 1986 article by Joseph H. Golden previously mentioned in the prior chapter.[1] Further insight is gained from Marking and Hald[2], and, more recently, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL).[3] These are areas in the work environment that can benefit from a LIMS, reduce costs, and improve both productivity and lab operations. The list is not exhaustive but sufficient for a basic LIMS installation. Note, however, that capabilities will naturally vary among LIMS offerings, and as such researching options and participating in demonstrations prior to acquisition is valuable.\nThe items in the list are points that should measurably demonstrate improvement by using a LIMS versus working with paper-based systems or spreadsheet implementation. If nothing else, with a two-seat LIMS license you can have one seat for administrative work and the second for others working with the system, making an improvement in the use of people's time.\nFunctions that can be improved by LIMS technology\nAnalytical support functions\n\nData entry through automated instrument interfacing and computational support (see notes above on barcodes and instrument connections)\nAnalytical result report generation, which can be automatic (100% improvement) or manual, which requires a few parameters for complete reports to be produced\nData archiving and retrieval, where archiving may be automatic and data retrieval is a matter of simply entering a query\nMethod and specification storage and retrieval, wherein an electronic format means it is a matter of simply completing a standardized form and then pulling it up later as-needed\nWork and resource management: Manual searching is replaced with entering data into a form. This process can further be assisted by a barcode system for significant improvement in productivity.\n\nSample login\nReceipt and label generation\nWork assignment and scheduling\nWorklist preparation\nSample tracking and status reporting\nBacklog reporting\nReport approval and release\nReagent inventory and preparation control\nLaboratory quality assurance support\n\nAudit trail generation, which is automatic with a LIMS\nMulti-analysis, blind sampling, round robin tracking, and variance reporting, which is a matter of setting up a standard report that can be executed with a few mouse clicks\nAutomatic tolerance verification and limit checking\nInstrument calibration scheduling and tracking, which can be automatically managed and alerted in the LIMS\nManagement support reporting: For each of the items below, this is a matter of setting up a standard report that can be executed with a few mouse clicks.\n\nLab productivity analysis\nTurn-around time (TAT) and customer service analysis\nCost per analysis computation\nEquipment utilization analysis\nBusiness support: For each of the items below, this is a matter of setting up a standard report that can be executed with a few mouse clicks.\n\nLabor time charge entry and reporting\nCustomer account charging and\/or billing of inventoried product data for order entry processing\nQC test data for feedstock purchasing and vendor qualification\nCorporate database data for regulatory agencies\nCompliance reporting\nTo put things into perspective, consider the work involved in generating a lab\u2019s monthly reports on any of the points above by manually searching paper records or at best a spreadsheet system (and while you are doing this, no one else may be able to use the system). Now replace that effort with a few mouse clicks using automated report generation, which could be set up on a regular schedule.\n\n2.3.2 Intangible benefits \nUsing economic analyses like ROI doesn't provide a complete picture of a LIMS' benefits, as it can be difficult to turn intangible benefits into measurable cost savings.[4][5] (We'll further discuss why ROI shouldn't be the sole selling point of a LIMS project proposal in the next chapter.) The importance of an intangible asset depends upon the issues facing your lab. If you\u2019re swamped with work and can\u2019t hire more people (e.g., because of lack of availability, space, and budget limitations), improving efficiency might be the best alternative, and that could mean a LIMS. If you\u2019re facing regulatory challenges and a plant shutdown is possible, then a LIMS might mean staying in business. What issues are important, and what\u2019s the value of successfully addressing them? As is often the case, the intangible benefits can overshadow more quantitative analysis.[4][5]\nThe following represent intangible benefits the laboratory can gain by acquiring and deploying a LIMS.[5][6][7][8][9][10] There is no guarantee your lab will benefit in every area, but realistically one can imagine a scenario where some of these benefits are realized. What is viewed as an intangible benefit to one laboratory may be viewed as tangible by another, and vice versa. Though viewed as \"intangible,\" any inability to quantify a benefit does not make it any less important to an organization acquiring and deploying a LIMS.\nImproved support for production operations\n\nFaster delivery of results to production\nMore useable result formats\nLess production waste\nFaster detection of production\/quality issues, which reduced wasted product and production time\nBetter integration with production and process control software (e.g., enterprise resource planning, manufacturing execution systems, and product lifecycle management)\nBetter, more easily managed, regulatory compliance\nImproved perception of lab capabilities due to improved performance\n\nBetter customer relations\nImprovement in lab personnel's attitude about their work, potentially reducing turnover and costs of hiring and training\nImproved projected business from extra profits (e.g., as a contract testing lab)\nCentralized and streamlined lab information, data, and operations\n\nReduction in duplicate testing\nEasy production of pending, overdue lists\nEasier prioritization of work\nEasier evaluation of the lab\u2019s workload\nImproved reporting\nDeveloped basis for further lab automation work, resulting in higher productivity\nImproved data security (physical and access control)\nAdditional gained value from lab data, turning it into a usable asset and improving access to results\nMore efficient lab operations\nBetter regulatory compliance (in non-production environments) and fewer audits\nImproved data management\/governance\n\nImproved data quality\nOverall error reduction, e.g., reduced transcription error through the use of barcodes and electronic transfer of IDS results\nReduction in transcription errors\nImproved accuracy of data\nImproved data integrity\nImproved compliance with data-driven regulations\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 Golden, J.H. (1986). \"Chapter 2: Economic Considerations of Laboratory Information Management Systems\". In Provder, Theodore (in en). Computer Applications in the Polymer Laboratory. ACS Symposium Series. 313. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. pp. 6\u201316. doi:10.1021\/bk-1986-0313.ch002. ISBN 978-0-8412-0977-0. https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Markin, Rodney S.; Hald, David L. (1 December 1992). \"Cost justification of a laboratory information system: An analysis of projected tangible and intangible benefits\" (in en). Journal of Medical Systems 16 (6): 281\u2013295. doi:10.1007\/BF00996362. ISSN 0148-5598. http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"Laboratory Information Systems Project Management: A Guidebook for International Implementations\" (PDF). Association of Public Health Laboratories. May 2019. https:\/\/www.aphl.org\/aboutAPHL\/publications\/Documents\/GH-2019May-LIS-Guidebook-web.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 4.0 4.1 O'Driscoll, A. (16 February 2023). \"7 Best Practices for a Successful LIMS\/LIS Implementation\". Clinical Lab Products. https:\/\/clpmag.com\/lab-essentials\/information-technology\/middleware-software\/7-best-practices-for-a-successful-lims-lis-implementation\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 5.0 5.1 5.2 Novak, C. (27 February 2020). \"The Benefits of Implementing a LIMS \u2013 Beyond ROI\". CSols, Inc. https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/the-benefits-of-implementing-a-lims-beyond-roi\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Nakagawa, Allen S. (1994). \"Chapter 12: Justification and Approvals\". LIMS, implementation and management. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry. pp. 143\u201344. ISBN 978-0-85186-824-0.   \n \n\n\u2191 \"ASTM E1578-18 Standard Guide for Laboratory Informatics\". ASTM International. 2018. doi:10.1520\/E1578-18. https:\/\/www.astm.org\/Standards\/E1578.htm . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Todd, H.N. (18 April 2018). \"MRSA testing workflow study assesses impact of automation\". Medical Laboratory Observer. https:\/\/www.mlo-online.com\/information-technology\/lis\/article\/13009471\/mrsa-testing-workflow-study-assesses-impact-of-automation . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Paszko, C. (2019). \"Quality Assurance - Laboratory Information Management Systems\". In Miro, Manuel; Worsfold, Paul; Townshend, Alan et al.. Encyclopedia of Analytical Science. 8 (Third ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier\/Acad. Press. pp. 473\u2013491. ISBN 978-0-08-101983-2.   \n \n\n\u2191 \"How to Get Management Buy-in for a New Lab Informatics Implementation\". CSols, Inc. 14 July 2022. https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/persuasion-how-to-get-management-buy-in-for-a-new-lab-informatics-implementation\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\r\n\n\n-----Go to the next chapter of this guide-----\nCitation information for this chapter \nChapter: 2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\nTitle: Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\nEdition: First Edition\nAuthor for citation: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\nLicense for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International\nPublication date: July 2023\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:56.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 6 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Organizational_economic_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS_Practical_considerations_and_justifications rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Organizational_economic_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS_Practical_considerations_and_justifications skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Practical considerations and justifications<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.3_Practical_considerations_and_justifications\">2.3 Practical considerations and justifications<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Naval_Hospital_Camp_Pendleton_activity_160119-N-LK819-006.jpg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"091c3dd2d0e00e662dfa6a5d8261893e\"><img alt=\"Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton activity 160119-N-LK819-006.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/8\/8a\/Naval_Hospital_Camp_Pendleton_activity_160119-N-LK819-006.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>So far, we've looked primarily at the economic justifications for LIMS acquisition and deployment, with a few nods to why it makes practical sense (e.g., reducing data entry errors). Let's take a closer look at more practical justifications, both tangible and intangible.\n<\/p><h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.3.1_Tangible_benefits\">2.3.1 Tangible benefits<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Here we provide examples of more tangible benefits to LIMS acquisition and deployment. Much of this list comes from the 1986 article by Joseph H. Golden previously mentioned in the prior chapter.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GoldenEcon86_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GoldenEcon86-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> Further insight is gained from Marking and Hald<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>, and, more recently, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL).<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-APHLandLIS_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-APHLandLIS-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> These are areas in the work environment that can benefit from a LIMS, reduce costs, and improve both productivity and lab operations. The list is not exhaustive but sufficient for a basic LIMS installation. Note, however, that capabilities will naturally vary among LIMS offerings, and as such researching options and participating in demonstrations prior to acquisition is valuable.\n<\/p><p>The items in the list are points that should measurably demonstrate improvement by using a LIMS versus working with paper-based systems or spreadsheet implementation. If nothing else, with a two-seat LIMS license you can have one seat for administrative work and the second for others working with the system, making an improvement in the use of people's time.\n<\/p><p><b>Functions that can be improved by LIMS technology<\/b>\n<\/p><p><i>Analytical support functions<\/i>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Data entry through automated instrument interfacing and computational support (see notes above on barcodes and instrument connections)<\/li>\n<li>Analytical result report generation, which can be automatic (100% improvement) or manual, which requires a few parameters for complete reports to be produced<\/li>\n<li>Data archiving and retrieval, where archiving may be automatic and data retrieval is a matter of simply entering a query<\/li>\n<li>Method and specification storage and retrieval, wherein an electronic format means it is a matter of simply completing a standardized form and then pulling it up later as-needed<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Work and resource management<\/i>: Manual searching is replaced with entering data into a form. This process can further be assisted by a barcode system for significant improvement in productivity.\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Sample login<\/li>\n<li>Receipt and label generation<\/li>\n<li>Work assignment and scheduling<\/li>\n<li>Worklist preparation<\/li>\n<li>Sample tracking and status reporting<\/li>\n<li>Backlog reporting<\/li>\n<li>Report approval and release<\/li>\n<li>Reagent inventory and preparation control<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Laboratory quality assurance support<\/i>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Audit trail generation, which is automatic with a LIMS<\/li>\n<li>Multi-analysis, blind sampling, round robin tracking, and variance reporting, which is a matter of setting up a standard report that can be executed with a few mouse clicks<\/li>\n<li>Automatic tolerance verification and limit checking<\/li>\n<li>Instrument calibration scheduling and tracking, which can be automatically managed and alerted in the LIMS<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Management support reporting<\/i>: For each of the items below, this is a matter of setting up a standard report that can be executed with a few mouse clicks.\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Lab productivity analysis<\/li>\n<li>Turn-around time (TAT) and customer service analysis<\/li>\n<li>Cost per analysis computation<\/li>\n<li>Equipment utilization analysis<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Business support<\/i>: For each of the items below, this is a matter of setting up a standard report that can be executed with a few mouse clicks.\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Labor time charge entry and reporting<\/li>\n<li>Customer account charging and\/or billing of inventoried product data for order entry processing<\/li>\n<li>QC test data for feedstock purchasing and vendor qualification<\/li>\n<li>Corporate database data for regulatory agencies<\/li>\n<li>Compliance reporting<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>To put things into perspective, consider the work involved in generating a lab\u2019s monthly reports on any of the points above by manually searching paper records or at best a spreadsheet system (and while you are doing this, no one else may be able to use the system). Now replace that effort with a few mouse clicks using automated report generation, which could be set up on a regular schedule.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.3.2_Intangible_benefits\">2.3.2 Intangible benefits<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Using economic analyses like ROI doesn't provide a complete picture of a LIMS' benefits, as it can be difficult to turn intangible benefits into measurable cost savings.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ODriscollSeven23_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ODriscollSeven23-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-NovakTheBen20_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-NovakTheBen20-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup> (We'll further discuss why ROI shouldn't be the sole selling point of a LIMS project proposal in the next chapter.) The importance of an intangible asset depends upon the issues facing your lab. If you\u2019re swamped with work and can\u2019t hire more people (e.g., because of lack of availability, space, and budget limitations), improving efficiency might be the best alternative, and that could mean a LIMS. If you\u2019re facing regulatory challenges and a plant shutdown is possible, then a LIMS might mean staying in business. What issues are important, and what\u2019s the value of successfully addressing them? As is often the case, the intangible benefits can overshadow more quantitative analysis.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ODriscollSeven23_4-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ODriscollSeven23-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-NovakTheBen20_5-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-NovakTheBen20-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>The following represent intangible benefits the laboratory can gain by acquiring and deploying a LIMS.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-NovakTheBen20_5-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-NovakTheBen20-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-6\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-6\">[6]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ASTME1578_7-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ASTME1578-7\">[7]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ToddMRSA18_8-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ToddMRSA18-8\">[8]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-9\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-CSolsHowToGet22_10-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-CSolsHowToGet22-10\">[10]<\/a><\/sup> There is no guarantee your lab will benefit in every area, but realistically one can imagine a scenario where some of these benefits are realized. What is viewed as an intangible benefit to one laboratory may be viewed as tangible by another, and vice versa. Though viewed as \"intangible,\" any inability to quantify a benefit does not make it any less important to an organization acquiring and deploying a LIMS.\n<\/p><p><i>Improved support for production operations<\/i>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Faster delivery of results to production<\/li>\n<li>More useable result formats<\/li>\n<li>Less production waste<\/li>\n<li>Faster detection of production\/quality issues, which reduced wasted product and production time<\/li>\n<li>Better integration with production and process control software (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Enterprise_resource_planning\" title=\"Enterprise resource planning\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"07be791b94a208f794e38224f0c0950b\">enterprise resource planning<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Manufacturing_execution_system\" title=\"Manufacturing execution system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"02e93282eda3e4708b1789cb47519917\">manufacturing execution systems<\/a>, and product lifecycle management)<\/li>\n<li>Better, more easily managed, regulatory compliance<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Improved perception of lab capabilities due to improved performance<\/i>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Better customer relations<\/li>\n<li>Improvement in lab personnel's attitude about their work, potentially reducing turnover and costs of hiring and training<\/li>\n<li>Improved projected business from extra profits (e.g., as a contract testing lab)<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Centralized and streamlined lab information, data, and operations<\/i>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Reduction in duplicate testing<\/li>\n<li>Easy production of pending, overdue lists<\/li>\n<li>Easier prioritization of work<\/li>\n<li>Easier evaluation of the lab\u2019s workload<\/li>\n<li>Improved reporting<\/li>\n<li>Developed basis for further lab automation work, resulting in higher productivity<\/li>\n<li>Improved data security (physical and access control)<\/li>\n<li>Additional gained value from lab data, turning it into a usable asset and improving access to results<\/li>\n<li>More efficient lab operations<\/li>\n<li>Better regulatory compliance (in non-production environments) and fewer audits<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><i>Improved data management\/governance<\/i>\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Improved data quality<\/li>\n<li>Overall error reduction, e.g., reduced transcription error through the use of barcodes and electronic transfer of IDS results<\/li>\n<li>Reduction in transcription errors<\/li>\n<li>Improved accuracy of data<\/li>\n<li>Improved data integrity<\/li>\n<li>Improved compliance with data-driven regulations<\/li><\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-GoldenEcon86-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-GoldenEcon86_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation book\">Golden, J.H. (1986). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313\" target=\"_blank\">\"Chapter 2: Economic Considerations of Laboratory Information Management Systems\"<\/a>. In Provder, Theodore (in en). <i>Computer Applications in the Polymer Laboratory<\/i>. ACS Symposium Series. <b>313<\/b>. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. pp. 6\u201316. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1021%2Fbk-1986-0313.ch002\" target=\"_blank\">10.1021\/bk-1986-0313.ch002<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-0-8412-0977-0<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Chapter+2%3A+Economic+Considerations+of+Laboratory+Information+Management+Systems&rft.atitle=Computer+Applications+in+the+Polymer+Laboratory&rft.aulast=Golden%2C+J.H.&rft.au=Golden%2C+J.H.&rft.date=1986&rft.series=ACS+Symposium+Series&rft.volume=313&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B6%E2%80%9316&rft.place=Washington%2C+DC&rft.pub=American+Chemical+Society&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1021%2Fbk-1986-0313.ch002&rft.isbn=978-0-8412-0977-0&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpubs.acs.org%2Fdoi%2Fbook%2F10.1021%2Fbk-1986-0313&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-2\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Markin, Rodney S.; Hald, David L. (1 December 1992). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362\" target=\"_blank\">\"Cost justification of a laboratory information system: An analysis of projected tangible and intangible benefits\"<\/a> (in en). <i>Journal of Medical Systems<\/i> <b>16<\/b> (6): 281\u2013295. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1007%2FBF00996362\" target=\"_blank\">10.1007\/BF00996362<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Serial_Number\" data-key=\"a5dec3e4d005e654c29ad167ab53f53a\">ISSN<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/issn\/0148-5598\" target=\"_blank\">0148-5598<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Cost+justification+of+a+laboratory+information+system%3A+An+analysis+of+projected+tangible+and+intangible+benefits&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Medical+Systems&rft.aulast=Markin&rft.aufirst=Rodney+S.&rft.au=Markin%2C%26%2332%3BRodney+S.&rft.au=Hald%2C%26%2332%3BDavid+L.&rft.date=1+December+1992&rft.volume=16&rft.issue=6&rft.pages=281%E2%80%93295&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1007%2FBF00996362&rft.issn=0148-5598&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2F10.1007%2FBF00996362&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-APHLandLIS-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-APHLandLIS_3-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aphl.org\/aboutAPHL\/publications\/Documents\/GH-2019May-LIS-Guidebook-web.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\"Laboratory Information Systems Project Management: A Guidebook for International Implementations\"<\/a> (PDF). Association of Public Health Laboratories. May 2019<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aphl.org\/aboutAPHL\/publications\/Documents\/GH-2019May-LIS-Guidebook-web.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.aphl.org\/aboutAPHL\/publications\/Documents\/GH-2019May-LIS-Guidebook-web.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Laboratory+Information+Systems+Project+Management%3A+A+Guidebook+for+International+Implementations&rft.atitle=&rft.date=May+2019&rft.pub=Association+of+Public+Health+Laboratories&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aphl.org%2FaboutAPHL%2Fpublications%2FDocuments%2FGH-2019May-LIS-Guidebook-web.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ODriscollSeven23-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-ODriscollSeven23_4-0\">4.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-ODriscollSeven23_4-1\">4.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">O'Driscoll, A. (16 February 2023). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/clpmag.com\/lab-essentials\/information-technology\/middleware-software\/7-best-practices-for-a-successful-lims-lis-implementation\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"7 Best Practices for a Successful LIMS\/LIS Implementation\"<\/a>. <i>Clinical Lab Products<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/clpmag.com\/lab-essentials\/information-technology\/middleware-software\/7-best-practices-for-a-successful-lims-lis-implementation\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/clpmag.com\/lab-essentials\/information-technology\/middleware-software\/7-best-practices-for-a-successful-lims-lis-implementation\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=7+Best+Practices+for+a+Successful+LIMS%2FLIS+Implementation&rft.atitle=Clinical+Lab+Products&rft.aulast=O%27Driscoll%2C+A.&rft.au=O%27Driscoll%2C+A.&rft.date=16+February+2023&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fclpmag.com%2Flab-essentials%2Finformation-technology%2Fmiddleware-software%2F7-best-practices-for-a-successful-lims-lis-implementation%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-NovakTheBen20-5\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-NovakTheBen20_5-0\">5.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-NovakTheBen20_5-1\">5.1<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-NovakTheBen20_5-2\">5.2<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Novak, C. (27 February 2020). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/the-benefits-of-implementing-a-lims-beyond-roi\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"The Benefits of Implementing a LIMS \u2013 Beyond ROI\"<\/a>. CSols, Inc<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/the-benefits-of-implementing-a-lims-beyond-roi\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/the-benefits-of-implementing-a-lims-beyond-roi\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=The+Benefits+of+Implementing+a+LIMS+%E2%80%93+Beyond+ROI&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Novak%2C+C.&rft.au=Novak%2C+C.&rft.date=27+February+2020&rft.pub=CSols%2C+Inc&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.csolsinc.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-benefits-of-implementing-a-lims-beyond-roi%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-6\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-6\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation book\">Nakagawa, Allen S. (1994). \"Chapter 12: Justification and Approvals\". <i>LIMS, implementation and management<\/i>. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry. pp. 143\u201344. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-0-85186-824-0.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Chapter+12%3A+Justification+and+Approvals&rft.atitle=LIMS%2C+implementation+and+management&rft.aulast=Nakagawa&rft.aufirst=Allen+S.&rft.au=Nakagawa%2C%26%2332%3BAllen+S.&rft.date=1994&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B143%E2%80%9344&rft.place=Cambridge&rft.pub=Royal+Society+of+Chemistry&rft.isbn=978-0-85186-824-0&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ASTME1578-7\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-ASTME1578_7-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.astm.org\/Standards\/E1578.htm\" target=\"_blank\">\"ASTM E1578-18 Standard Guide for Laboratory Informatics\"<\/a>. ASTM International. 2018. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1520%2FE1578-18\" target=\"_blank\">10.1520\/E1578-18<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.astm.org\/Standards\/E1578.htm\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.astm.org\/Standards\/E1578.htm<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ASTM+E1578-18+Standard+Guide+for+Laboratory+Informatics&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2018&rft.pub=ASTM+International&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1520%2FE1578-18&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.astm.org%2FStandards%2FE1578.htm&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ToddMRSA18-8\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-ToddMRSA18_8-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Todd, H.N. (18 April 2018). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mlo-online.com\/information-technology\/lis\/article\/13009471\/mrsa-testing-workflow-study-assesses-impact-of-automation\" target=\"_blank\">\"MRSA testing workflow study assesses impact of automation\"<\/a>. <i>Medical Laboratory Observer<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mlo-online.com\/information-technology\/lis\/article\/13009471\/mrsa-testing-workflow-study-assesses-impact-of-automation\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.mlo-online.com\/information-technology\/lis\/article\/13009471\/mrsa-testing-workflow-study-assesses-impact-of-automation<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=MRSA+testing+workflow+study+assesses+impact+of+automation&rft.atitle=Medical+Laboratory+Observer&rft.aulast=Todd%2C+H.N.&rft.au=Todd%2C+H.N.&rft.date=18+April+2018&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlo-online.com%2Finformation-technology%2Flis%2Farticle%2F13009471%2Fmrsa-testing-workflow-study-assesses-impact-of-automation&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-9\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-9\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation book\">Paszko, C. (2019). \"Quality Assurance - Laboratory Information Management Systems\". In Miro, Manuel; Worsfold, Paul; Townshend, Alan <i>et al.<\/i>. <i>Encyclopedia of Analytical Science<\/i>. <b>8<\/b> (Third ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier\/Acad. Press. pp. 473\u2013491. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-0-08-101983-2.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Quality+Assurance+-+Laboratory+Information+Management+Systems&rft.atitle=Encyclopedia+of+Analytical+Science&rft.aulast=Paszko%2C+C.&rft.au=Paszko%2C+C.&rft.date=2019&rft.volume=8&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B473%E2%80%93491&rft.edition=Third&rft.place=Amsterdam&rft.pub=Elsevier%2FAcad.+Press&rft.isbn=978-0-08-101983-2&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-CSolsHowToGet22-10\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-CSolsHowToGet22_10-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/persuasion-how-to-get-management-buy-in-for-a-new-lab-informatics-implementation\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"How to Get Management Buy-in for a New Lab Informatics Implementation\"<\/a>. CSols, Inc. 14 July 2022<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/persuasion-how-to-get-management-buy-in-for-a-new-lab-informatics-implementation\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.csolsinc.com\/blog\/persuasion-how-to-get-management-buy-in-for-a-new-lab-informatics-implementation\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=How+to+Get+Management+Buy-in+for+a+New+Lab+Informatics+Implementation&rft.atitle=&rft.date=14+July+2022&rft.pub=CSols%2C+Inc&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.csolsinc.com%2Fblog%2Fpersuasion-how-to-get-management-buy-in-for-a-new-lab-informatics-implementation%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">-----Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384\">the next chapter<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Citation_information_for_this_chapter\">Citation information for this chapter<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Chapter<\/b>: 2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\n<\/p><p><b>Title<\/b>: <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i>\n<\/p><p><b>Edition<\/b>: First Edition\n<\/p><p><b>Author for citation<\/b>: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\n<\/p><p><b>License for content<\/b>: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International<\/a>\n<\/p><p><b>Publication date<\/b>: July 2023\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151428\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.196 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.235 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 7680\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 66959\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 20711\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 18\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 19109\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 200.673 1 -total\n 93.92% 188.478 1 Template:Reflist\n 70.31% 141.086 10 Template:Citation\/core\n 34.72% 69.670 6 Template:Cite_web\n 33.63% 67.488 3 Template:Cite_book\n 14.34% 28.777 1 Template:Cite_journal\n 12.08% 24.244 9 Template:Date\n 8.06% 16.184 7 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 6.02% 12.082 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\n 4.17% 8.373 15 Template:Citation\/make_link\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14322-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151427 and revision id 52648. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Practical_considerations_and_justifications<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/8\/8a\/Naval_Hospital_Camp_Pendleton_activity_160119-N-LK819-006.jpg"],"2d981a25d06eb8d4b4fc7dffbba9f6e5_timestamp":1690384838,"e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_type":"article","e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_title":"2.2 Economic considerations and justifications","e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications","e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Economic considerations and justificationsFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\nContents \n\n1 2.2 Economic considerations and justifications \n\n1.1 2.2.1 On-premises vs. cloud LIMS \n1.2 2.2.2 Common and add-on costs \n1.3 2.2.3 Factors that can offset costs \n\n\n2 References \n\n\n\n2.2 Economic considerations and justifications \nFigure 2 shows the key cost-based considerations of a basic LIMS installation project, with details for both on-premises and cloud-based systems. Depending on the vendor, there are potential additional costs. For example, any additional instrument interfacing costs may depend on the vendor's approach, the number and type of instruments in your lab, and so on. The same applies to connections to other software systems (e.g., accounting, statistical data systems, and others). Instrument and software integration costs aside, Figure 2 also brings up:\n\nLicense, maintenance, and support costs: Whether one-time or recurring, there will be a license fee for the software. And it will require scheduled maintenance and support for when things go wrong.\nAcceptance and validation testing costs: Unless the vendor includes this in their implementation package, you may have to budget for the necessary tests to ensure the system is meeting the needs and requirements of your laboratory and its stakeholders.\nSystem and account configuration costs: You could try to have your soon-to-be system administrator manually add user accounts, configure roles, and make other configuration changes, or it may make sense to have the vendor do the work for you in advance, for a price.\nData migration costs: If your lab already has electronic data of some sort, it may be viewed as mission-critical, with a need to modify and migrate it to the new LIMS in an acceptable format. Such data migration projects can be time-consuming and costly, depending on the complexity and \"dirtiness\" of the data being imported.\nNetworking costs: Whether installed locally or in the cloud, some sort of networking is required (unless you\u2019re working in a tiny lab with a single computer, running software locally). The client instances of the LIMS will need to electronically communicate with the server instance, or the web-based access screen will need to electronically communicate with the vendor hosting the LIMS in the cloud. This means local networking costs and\/or a highly-dependable internet connection.\nSupporting equipment and hardware costs: From barcode readers and label printers to system terminals and document printers, the implementation of your LIMS may require supporting equipment that, in tandem with the LIMS, will improve workflows and expedite laboratory tasks. The LIMS introduces improved sample and specimen tracking using barcode labels and scanners, which benefits the lab, but is useless without the additional equipment. If the LIMS is to be hosted on-premises, IT hardware will also likely need to be acquired.\nTraining costs: Some vendors may include a set amount of training with their implementation package, while others may not. Your lab is likely going to want to hit the ground running with the new LIMS, which means well-trained personnel, with full documentation and recorded training videos. As new personnel are on-boarded, your lab may not want to be the one responsible for training, opting to ask the vendor to run the employee through training.\nProject management costs: Acquiring and implementing a LIMS is a project, full stop. The costs associated with project management may be handled internally, through normal hourly- or salary-based payment of personnel and managers for their organizational duties. However, some labs may not have the internal resources and experience to field such a project, requiring either a consultancy or even hiring the LIMS vendor to work with a lab stakeholder to oversee the project.\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFigure 2. Major components of a LIMS installation project.\n\n\n\nAs you'll see in the following subsections, the method of accounting for these and other costs associated with LIMS implementation, and their justification, will be similar to that of acquiring supporting laboratory equipment: what are the costs, and what are the benefits, both tangible and intangible?\n\n2.2.1 On-premises vs. cloud LIMS \nThe economics behind the on-premises LIMS are generally different from those of the cloud-based LIMS. An on-premises system ultimately sees the system administrator taking responsibility for most or all aspects of the system. This includes:\n\nHardware selection: This includes the computer and associated components (e.g., printer, power backup, software backup, etc.). Additionally, the admin will need to find a place to put the computer and make arrangements with IT support for their services.\nLIMS installation: This includes installation of the operating system, LIMS software, and any underlying components (e.g., database software, support tools, etc.). This may be done alone or with the vendor's and IT services' assistance.\nLIMS validation and testing: The admin will be responsible for full system validation and testing. This significantly increases the workload of project management and support.\nThe LIMS-specific software costs and process of using this type of LIMS implementation include the following:\n\nPayment of the initial LIMS license and account setup fees is a one-time charge. These charges are usually based on the number of concurrent users of the system (sometimes referred to as \u201cseats\u201d). If you have six people in your lab, each can have their own login (meeting regulatory requirements), but only the specified number of concurrent users can access the software simultaneously. For example, with six accounts, and a license for two seats, two people can be working on the LIMS simultaneously. It may help to review several use cases internally, as well as their associated costs, to get a sense for how many accounts you need and can afford. Table 3 provides an example of a tabular view one might take with calculating license costs for several use cases.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 3. A tabular view one might take with calculating license costs across several account-based use cases.\n\n\n1.\n\nNumber of people in the lab needing accounts:\n\n           \n\n\n2.\n\nCase 1\n\nNumber of people simultaneously using the LIMS\n\n\n\n\n3.\n\nCase 1\n\nInitial license cost for the number of seats (row 2 above)\n\n\n\n\n4.\n\nCase 1\n\nRecurring license cost for the number of seats (row 2 above)\n\n\n\n\n5.\n\nCase 2\n\nNumber of people simultaneously using the LIMS\n\n\n\n\n6.\n\nCase 2\n\nInitial license cost for the number of seats (row 5 above)\n\n\n\n\n7.\n\nCase 2\n\nRecurring license cost for the number of seats (row 5 above)\n\n\n\n\n8.\n\nCase 3\n\nNumber of people simultaneously using the LIMS\n\n\n\n\n9.\n\nCase 3\n\nInitial license cost for the number of seats (row 8 above)\n\n\n\n\n10.\n\nCase 3\n\nRecurring license cost for the number of seats (row 8 above)\n\n\n\n\n\nOnce the software has been installed and passes the necessary qualification testing, the next step is to configure the system to reflect your lab's requirements. This is more demanding than a cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) implementation since the project manager (PM) is responsible for all aspects of the work instead of being divided between the PM and the vendor; the vendor may provide guidance for some of this work based on their experience. This would include setting up test descriptions (including test and product limits), personnel data, relevant initial customer data, report formats, access controls, etc., whatever you define as needed to have a functioning system. This would not include instrument connections or connections to other systems. While those can be and are done, they usually entail an additional cost. Issues like that, and the details of their inclusion, are beyond the scope of this document, but you should be able to include them easily. The costs for instrument connections can vary widely depending on the devices' nature, use, and vendor\u2019s support.\nOnce the system is set up, a system test and acceptance process begins as a part of a complete system acceptance\/validation program. This compares the contents of the user requirement document to the functioning systems. This allows you to verify that the system works according to your needs and specifications. This is part of the validation process but not the entire process.\nRecurring charges include the annual license renewal fee, usually a fraction of the initial license cost. In addition, there would be hardware support costs, software maintenance fees (e.g., underlying components, including the operating system), backup systems annual fees (e.g., power, hardware, software), and IT support costs. Support can involve software and hardware vendors, facilities management (e.g., backup power), and IT support.\nCloud-based SaaS LIMS, on the other hand, are hosted on the vendor's server and is ready to be accessed and used once it is initialized with your lab's specific details. No local software installation is needed. The costs and process of using this software implementation include the following considerations:\n\nAccess to SaaS LIMS entails the payment of the initial LIMS license and account setup fees. These are one-time fees. As noted above, these charges are usually based on the number of concurrent users of the system (i.e., \u201cseats\u201d). A similar set of account-based use cases (Table 3) can be used to calculate various account scenarios and their license costs.\nThe next step is configuring the system to reflect your lab's requirements. This tends to be easier than an on-premises solution and would include setting up test descriptions (including test and product limits), personnel data, relevant initial customer data, report formats, access controls, and whatever else you define as needed to have a functioning system. This would not include instrument connections or connections to other systems. As noted earlier, while those can be and are done, they usually entail an additional cost.\nOnce the system is set up, a system test and acceptance process allows you to verify that the system is working according to your needs and specifications. This is part of the validation process but not the entire process.\nRecurring charges include the annual license renewal fee, usually a fraction of the initial license cost. This is usually simpler than with an on-premises solution.\nTable 4 provides a comparison of aspects of on-premises LIMS with cloud-based SaaS LIMS.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 4. Comparison of aspects of on-premises LIMS with cloud-based SaaS LIMS.\n\n\nOn-premises LIMS\n\nCloud-based SaaS LIMS\n\n\n\u2022 The lab has complete control over system management and operations.\r\n\u2022 The organization will have hardware and software purchase costs.\r\n\u2022 The organization will have ongoing maintenance and support costs for IT services.\r\n\u2022 The lab is responsible for implementation (LIMS and associated instrumentation) and validation.\r\n\u2022 The implementation time for an on-premises system can take months for equipment and software selection, installation, validation, and to finally be put into service.\n\n\u2022 The lab has control over tailoring and customization within limits set by the vendor.\r\n\u2022 No software installation is necessary.\r\n\u2022 The vendor provides all support and maintenance. IT services are not required.\r\n\u2022 Instrument connections are provided by instrument API and vendor support services.\r\n\u2022 Since there is no hardware\/software installation and operational qualification is provided by the vendor, the system is immediately ready to be initialized with your lab's testing and functional requirements. It can be put into service in short order.\r\n\u2022 Validation requirements still have to be addressed.\n\n\n\nIn the end, from a purely cost-focused perspective, the cloud-based SaaS LIMS may make more sense for the modern lab. The previous chapter's Table 1 compared 1980s-era concessions, considerations, and justifications for maintaining an existing lab's operations vs. acquiring and deploying an on-premises LIMS. While those same aspects largely pertain to today's on-premises LIMS installation, most of the costs of hardware, installation, IT support, data storage, etc., go away with a cloud-based LIMS installation. Suddenly the economic justification for a LIMS looks rosier due to the reduced costs associated with having your LIMS securely hosted by another entity. The core cloud LIMS could be available on an annual basis for less than the cost of one person, easily justified through productivity improvements, improved data governance, and improved regulatory compliance. For example, the average annual salary for a government lab worker is\n$43,757 (2022 average)[1], which is very close to the base pay for a lab technician in Boston, Massachusetts (2023).[2] \nThe first year\u2019s charges for a basic cloud-based LIMS with two concurrent users, including one-time and annual recurring charges, are less than that yearly salary value. The yearly recurring charge is less than a third of that technician's income. As you add on functions such as instrument interfacing (see the next subsection), both the initial and recurring costs will increase, and so will the productivity gains through faster, more efficient data entry and automation. Additionally, a cloud-based LIMS largely eliminates the need for on-site server hardware, software installation, and IT support. (Note: It is not our position that people should be laid off to justify the added cost of a LIMS, but some future hiring may be avoided or deferred.) Yes, training still needs to be provided, as does support for instrument connections. However, the latter can be phased in on an as-needed basis. \n\n2.2.2 Common and add-on costs \nIt's important to note that regardless of the implementation approach, some costs are common to both on-premises and cloud-based SaaS systems. They include:\n\nNetworking: Networking costs include wiring the lab and any recurring charges for support and the communications services themselves. These might come from a corporate budget or payments to an internet service provider. This should also include security protections against malware and intrusion. In the SaaS model, system security is provided by the vendor for the database system. An on-premises system is the lab\u2019s or IT service's responsibility. Even with the SaaS model, your company has to provide network security to prevent the internet access services from becoming an entry point for hackers into your lab network.\nTraining: Everyone needs to be educated in the use of the LIMS. Some, like systems administrators, are educated to a higher degree than others. There is an initial charge for this when the system is introduced and a recurring charge as it evolves and new lab personnel come on board. Education for on-premises systems is more demanding since someone designated within the lab or IT services would function as the system administrator and handle all system modifications, including LIMS and underlying software upgrades.\nPrinters: The truly paperless lab may exist, but it is a rarity. People like paper; it's easy to work with and reassuring when you hold your results in your hand.\nSystem access: Everyone needs system terminals that provide access to the LIMS and other systems in the lab. These include laptops, full computers, tablets, smartphones, and thin-client terminals.\nProject management: Project management exists as a separate line item that comes in two forms, regardless of whether an on-premises or SaaS installation is used, though on-premises implementations would entail considerably more effort. One is the work the vendor does in implementing your requests and providing the initial support, while the other is the work that you do to generate user requirements, evaluating vendors, and managing the process from \"we need a LIMS\" to \"its running and meets all specified requirements,\" and all the meetings and justifications that occur in between. That also includes having lab personnel educated on the use of the system. This is the basis for LIMS software process validation. Note that project management would be both an initial charge and a recurring cost. The latter accounts for updates to the user-controlled aspects of the system, such as adding new tests, clients, etc. (though software updates in SaaS environments are the vendor\u2019s responsibility).\nBeyond those costs common to both implementation types, there are add-on capabilities. These can include technologies such as barcodes and instrument connections, as well as others. While this document doesn't intend to review all or a majority of the add-on capabilities, we will look at the two mentioned to illustrate a template for their justification. (Note, however, that barcode and instrument connection capabilities would not be realized with paper-based systems and are difficult to undertake with spreadsheet implementations.)\nLet's first address barcodes. Barcode technologies are an important alternative to manual data entry, greatly reducing the error rate.[3] This is significant because the longer an error goes undetected, the greater the impact and cost repercussions. Take for example the early 1990s work of George Labovitz and Yu Sang Chang[4], who created the 1-10-100 rule, which states that data entry errors multiply costs exponentially according to the stage at which they are identified and corrected. They reasoned that it costs you a dollar to fix a data entry error as soon as it's made, it will cost $10 at the next step of the process, perhaps when it is used as part of a calculation. If the error persists and is reported as part of an analytical sample report, it may cost $100 to fix, plus the embarrassment caused by the error. Those dollar figures are in 1992 valuations; in today\u2019s dollars (2023), $100 then equals roughly $215 today.[5]\nThe extent of error rate reduction that barcode technologies offer will vary by barcode print quality, how clean the label is, the scanning equipment used, the user's proficiency, and the sample container's geometry. Plex Systems provides an error rate of 1 per 300 characters for manual entry, with it potentially being as good as 1 per 36 trillion characters for barcodes (though this may be under ideal conditions).[6] ZIH Corp. states that the error rate of barcode data entry \u201chas been widely estimated at one error per 3 million characters.\u201d[7] Peak Technologies states that data entered by barcodes are four times less likely to contain errors than that entered by hand.[8] Finally, a CDC study reports that data entry errors are \u201cnearly six times as likely from manual entry systems than from point-of-care test barcoding systems.\u201d[9] There seems to be a disparity between studies that could be attributed to the difference between character counts and data entry measures where the data elements consist of multiple characters.\nAs you might expect, any statement about error reduction will have significance throughout the LIMS justification. In addition to error reduction, barcodes are faster than manual entry, reducing it from 10 to 20 seconds per entry to possibly two or three. In addition, in some regulated environments, manual data entry requires verification by a second person, increasing the cost significantly. Barcodes can impact the sample login process, sample location and inventory, results entry, and almost any step in the sample processing sequence.\nSimilar to Table 3, which provides a tabular template for examining user account costs, Table 5 gives you one possible way to tabulate a cost-benefit analysis of barcode technology.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 5. A basic tabular cost-benefit analysis approach to incorporating barcode technology.\n\n\nLab costs and benefits\n\nValue\n\n\nCost of equipment\n\n \r\n\n\n\nBarcode readers\n\n                                 \n\n\nBarcode printers\n\n\n\n\nLabel stock for printing\n\n\n\n\nSavings\n\n \r\n\n\n\nTime saved in data entry\n\n\n\n\nReduced cost of error correction\n\n\n\n\nSavings due to faster sample processing\n\n\n\n\nResult (savings minus costs)\n\n\n\n\n\nBeyond error limiting, using barcode technologies opens other opportunities to streamline lab operations and improve client relations for the lab. One possible example is shown in Table 6, demonstrating how a cooperative effort between the lab and its clients can result in labor reduction and faster sample processing. In that example, you could organize a system where sample containers and preprinted test request sheets with barcoded sample labels (keyed to a barcode on the test request form) are provided to a client who participates in the sample login process through a client access portal. This streamlines operations reduces errors, and could give the client a cost reduction in testing that would reflect their efforts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 6. Example of lab-client interaction for reduced cost sample processing.\n\n\nStep\n\nLab's work\n\nClients efforts\n\n\n1.\n\nSample containers and preprinted test request sheets with barcoded labels (keyed to a barcode on the test request form) are provided to a client.\n\n\n\n\n2.\n\n\n\nThe client places the barcoded labels on the containers, fills out the test request form, and uses a remote sample login feature of LIMS to enter the samples into the system. The client then sends the samples to the lab.\n\n\n3.\n\nWhen the test request form and samples reach the lab, they can be scanned into the system using a barcode reader and shown \u201cas being in the lab\u201d and ready for testing.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe above points are particularly notable for labs that produce income from testing work, such as contract labs. These labs may improve working relationships with corporate internal clients by speeding up sample processing. If such labs are able to increase cooperative relationships with clients with the help of barcodes and pre-labeled sample containers, our cost-benefit analysis from Table 5 changes slightly, as seen in Table 7. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 7. An advanced tabular cost-benefit analysis approach to incorporating barcode technology that also considers cooperative lab-client workflows.\n\n\nLab costs and benefits\n\nValue\n\n\nCost of equipment\n\n \r\n\n\n\nBarcode readers\n\n                                 \n\n\nBarcode printers\n\n\n\n\nLabel stock for printing\n\n\n\n\nSample containers\n\n\n\n\nSavings\/benefits\n\n \r\n\n\n\nTime saved in data entry\n\n\n\n\nReduced cost of error correction\n\n\n\n\nSavings due to faster sample processing\n\n\n\n\nValue of improved client relations\n\n\n\n\nResult (savings\/benefits minus cost)\n\n\n\n\n\nNext we address IDS connections to the LIMS. A laboratory's processes and procedures (P&P) provide the steps for preparing samples and carrying out an analysis. Lab instruments generate the data and results that sample submitters are seeking. Anything we can do to streamline that process will reduce operating costs, increase the rate at which samples can be handled, and reduce errors. We can replace manual efforts at organizing work and entering results into a LIMS with an electronic system by connecting IDSs to LIMS. Table 8 compares the outcome of using an IDS and LIMS manually with developing an electronic connection between the two.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 8. Comparison of two different methods of using an IDS with a LIMS.\n\n\nManually using an IDS and LIMS\n\nUsing an electronic connection\r\nbetween an IDS and LIMS\n\n\n\n1. Use the LIMS to generate a worklist of samples to be processed by the IDS.\r\n\n2. Print out that worklist.\r\n\n3. Manually enter the information into the IDS, with verification.\r\n\n4. Prepare the samples for processing and insert them into the autosampler, along with standards, verifying the order of materials.\r\n\n5. When the samples have been processed, obtain a printout of the test results.\r\n\n6. Bring up the worklist on the LIMS and manually enter the test results, with verification.\n\n\n\n1. Use the LIMS to generate a worklist of samples to be processed by the IDS.\r\n\n2. Have the LIMS electronically send the worklist to the IDS.\r\n\n3. Prepare the samples for processing and insert them into the autosampler, along with standards, verifying the order of materials.\r\n\n4. When the samples have been processed, electronically send the results to the LIMS.\n\n\n\n\nThe electronic connection between the IDS and LIMS eliminates most of the need for manual operations at both the IDS and the LIMS. It also provides a basis for fully automating processes, with minimal demands on lab personnel, freeing them for more demanding tasks. The benefit is considerable cost savings in people's time and effort, with faster processing of samples from sample login, through processing, and review\/release of results.\n\n2.2.3 Factors that can offset costs \nIn Table 1 of the previous chapter, we noted that some labs in the 1980s were considering the potential benefit of offsetting LIMS acquisition and deployment costs through investment tax credits, accelerated depreciation rate, and deductible interest rate payments. This concept largely still holds true today. Figure 3 demonstrates this in further detail.\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFigure 3. Potential offsets to LIMS costs.\n\n\n\nInvestment tax credits are available for hardware purchases and software development.[10][11] How these apply to your project depends on the specifics of the work that is planned and the current state of the tax laws. The lab is best suited to consult with a finance or tax professional to best determine how such credits actually work. This also includes matters such as choosing to accelerate depreciation of fixed assets so as to defer tax liabilities until later[12], or to deduct interest expenses on qualifying income-producing activities.[13]\nAn additional point worth looking at is how training is going to be handled. Will it be through the lab's budget or a general corporate training function? Splitting the project across multiple budgets (e.g., training, IT, etc.) may make it easier to fund and to take advantage of tax breaks.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 \"Occupation Index: Laboratory Working\". FederalPay.org. 2023. https:\/\/www.federalpay.org\/employees\/occupations\/laboratory-working . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"How much does a Lab Technician make in Boston, MA?\". Glassdoor. 14 June 2023. https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/Salaries\/boston-lab-technician-salary-SRCH_IL.0,6_IM109_KO7,21.htm . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"1D vs 2D Barcodes \u2014 What\u2019s the Difference?\". Brady Worldwide, Inc. 4 October 2022. https:\/\/www.bradyid.com\/applications\/product-and-barcode-labeling\/1d-vs-2d-barcodes . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Labovitz, George; Chang, Yu Sang; Rosansky, Victor (1992). Making quality work: A leadership guide for the results-driven manager. Oliver Wight Ltd. ISBN 978-0-939246-54-0.   \n \n\n\u2191 Webster, I.. \"$100 in 1992 is worth $216.77 today\". CPI Inflation Calculator. Alioth LLC. https:\/\/www.officialdata.org\/us\/inflation\/1992?amount=100 . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"Barcoding 101 for Manufacturers: What You Need to Know to Get Started\". Plex Systems. http:\/\/media.techtarget.com\/Syndication\/ENTERPRISE_APPS\/Barcoding_WP.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"Barcode Labeling in the Lab \u2014 Closing the Loop of Patient Safety\" (PDF). ZIH Corp. March 2016. https:\/\/www.zebra.com\/content\/dam\/zebra_new_ia\/en-us\/solutions-verticals\/vertical-solutions\/healthcare\/white-paper\/barcode-labeling-lab-white%20paper-en-us.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Kallenbach, J. (18 March 2020). \"Barcodes in the Lab\". Peak Technologies. https:\/\/www.dasco.com\/resources\/learning-center\/2020\/03\/18\/barcodes-in-the-lab\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Workgroup (February 2012). \"Effective practices for reducing patient specimen and laboratory testing identification errors in diverse hospital settings\" (PDF). Laboratory Medicine Best Practices. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/labbestpractices\/pdfs\/CDC_BarCodingSummary.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Powell, G.; Peters, J. (20 February 2023). \"Don\u2019t forget technology investments when it comes to the R&D tax credit\". Explore Our Thinking. Plante Moran. https:\/\/www.plantemoran.com\/explore-our-thinking\/insight\/2020\/08\/is-your-business-getting-the-rd-tax-credit-it-deserves . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"R&D Tax Credits for the Technology & Software Industry\". BDO USA, P.A. 11 March 2021. https:\/\/www.bdo.com\/insights\/tax\/r-d-tax-credits-for-the-technology-software-industry . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"Accelerated depreciation definition\". AccountingTools. 7 June 2023. https:\/\/www.accountingtools.com\/articles\/what-is-accelerated-depreciation.html . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Kagan, J. (8 March 2023). \"Tax-Deductible Interest: Definition and Types That Qualify\". https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/t\/tax-deductible-interest.asp . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:54.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 4 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Organizational_economic_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS_Economic_considerations_and_justifications rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Organizational_economic_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS_Economic_considerations_and_justifications skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Economic considerations and justifications<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.2_Economic_considerations_and_justifications\">2.2 Economic considerations and justifications<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Figure 2 shows the key cost-based considerations of a basic LIMS installation project, with details for both on-premises and cloud-based systems. Depending on the vendor, there are potential additional costs. For example, any additional instrument interfacing costs may depend on the vendor's approach, the number and type of instruments in your lab, and so on. The same applies to connections to other software systems (e.g., accounting, statistical data systems, and others). Instrument and software integration costs aside, Figure 2 also brings up:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li><i>License, maintenance, and support costs<\/i>: Whether one-time or recurring, there will be a license fee for the software. And it will require scheduled maintenance and support for when things go wrong.<\/li>\n<li><i>Acceptance and validation testing costs<\/i>: Unless the vendor includes this in their implementation package, you may have to budget for the necessary tests to ensure the system is meeting the needs and requirements of your laboratory and its stakeholders.<\/li>\n<li><i>System and account configuration costs<\/i>: You could try to have your soon-to-be system administrator manually add user accounts, configure roles, and make other configuration changes, or it may make sense to have the vendor do the work for you in advance, for a price.<\/li>\n<li><i>Data migration costs<\/i>: If your lab already has electronic data of some sort, it may be viewed as mission-critical, with a need to modify and migrate it to the new LIMS in an acceptable format. Such data migration projects can be time-consuming and costly, depending on the complexity and \"dirtiness\" of the data being imported.<\/li>\n<li><i>Networking costs<\/i>: Whether installed locally or in the cloud, some sort of networking is required (unless you\u2019re working in a tiny lab with a single computer, running software locally). The client instances of the LIMS will need to electronically communicate with the server instance, or the web-based access screen will need to electronically communicate with the vendor hosting the LIMS in the cloud. This means local networking costs and\/or a highly-dependable internet connection.<\/li>\n<li><i>Supporting equipment and hardware costs<\/i>: From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Barcode\" title=\"Barcode\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"e0952b5b262392be0995237aec36d355\">barcode<\/a> readers and label printers to system terminals and document printers, the implementation of your LIMS may require supporting equipment that, in tandem with the LIMS, will improve workflows and expedite laboratory tasks. The LIMS introduces improved sample and specimen tracking using barcode labels and scanners, which benefits the lab, but is useless without the additional equipment. If the LIMS is to be hosted on-premises, IT hardware will also likely need to be acquired.<\/li>\n<li><i>Training costs<\/i>: Some vendors may include a set amount of training with their implementation package, while others may not. Your lab is likely going to want to hit the ground running with the new LIMS, which means well-trained personnel, with full documentation and recorded training videos. As new personnel are on-boarded, your lab may not want to be the one responsible for training, opting to ask the vendor to run the employee through training.<\/li>\n<li><i>Project management costs<\/i>: Acquiring and implementing a LIMS is a project, full stop. The costs associated with project management may be handled internally, through normal hourly- or salary-based payment of personnel and managers for their organizational duties. However, some labs may not have the internal resources and experience to field such a project, requiring either a consultancy or even hiring the LIMS vendor to work with a lab stakeholder to oversee the project.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Fig2_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"5fda9c58755d504490d40ece9833e3e4\"><img alt=\"Fig2 Liscouski JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.limswiki.org\/www.limswiki.org\/images\/6\/65\/Fig2_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><blockquote><p><b>Figure 2.<\/b> Major components of a LIMS installation project.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>As you'll see in the following subsections, the method of accounting for these and other costs associated with LIMS implementation, and their justification, will be similar to that of acquiring supporting laboratory equipment: what are the costs, and what are the benefits, both tangible and intangible?\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.2.1_On-premises_vs._cloud_LIMS\">2.2.1 On-premises vs. cloud LIMS<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The economics behind the on-premises LIMS are generally different from those of the cloud-based LIMS. An on-premises system ultimately sees the system administrator taking responsibility for most or all aspects of the system. This includes:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li><i>Hardware selection<\/i>: This includes the computer and associated components (e.g., printer, power backup, software backup, etc.). Additionally, the admin will need to find a place to put the computer and make arrangements with IT support for their services.<\/li>\n<li><i>LIMS installation<\/i>: This includes installation of the operating system, LIMS software, and any underlying components (e.g., database software, support tools, etc.). This may be done alone or with the vendor's and IT services' assistance.<\/li>\n<li><i>LIMS validation and testing<\/i>: The admin will be responsible for full system validation and testing. This significantly increases the workload of project management and support.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>The LIMS-specific software costs and process of using this type of LIMS implementation include the following:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Payment of the initial LIMS license and account setup fees is a one-time charge. These charges are usually based on the number of concurrent users of the system (sometimes referred to as \u201cseats\u201d). If you have six people in your lab, each can have their own login (meeting regulatory requirements), but only the specified number of concurrent users can access the software simultaneously. For example, with six accounts, and a license for two seats, two people can be working on the LIMS simultaneously. It may help to review several use cases internally, as well as their associated costs, to get a sense for how many accounts you need and can afford. Table 3 provides an example of a tabular view one might take with calculating license costs for several use cases.<\/li><\/ul>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<dl><dd><table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"4\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 3.<\/b> A tabular view one might take with calculating license costs across several account-based use cases.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>1.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Number of people in the lab needing accounts:\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">           \n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>2.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 1\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Number of people simultaneously using the LIMS\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>3.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 1\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Initial license cost for the number of seats (row 2 above)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>4.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 1\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Recurring license cost for the number of seats (row 2 above)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>5.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 2\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Number of people simultaneously using the LIMS\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>6.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 2\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Initial license cost for the number of seats (row 5 above)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>7.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 2\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Recurring license cost for the number of seats (row 5 above)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>8.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 3\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Number of people simultaneously using the LIMS\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>9.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 3\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Initial license cost for the number of seats (row 8 above)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>10.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Case 3\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Recurring license cost for the number of seats (row 8 above)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/dd><\/dl>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<ul><li>Once the software has been installed and passes the necessary qualification testing, the next step is to configure the system to reflect your lab's requirements. This is more demanding than a cloud-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Software_as_a_service\" title=\"Software as a service\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"ae8c8a7cd5ee1a264f4f0bbd4a4caedd\">software as a service<\/a> (SaaS) implementation since the project manager (PM) is responsible for all aspects of the work instead of being divided between the PM and the vendor; the vendor may provide guidance for some of this work based on their experience. This would include setting up test descriptions (including test and product limits), personnel data, relevant initial customer data, report formats, access controls, etc., whatever you define as needed to have a functioning system. This would not include instrument connections or connections to other systems. While those can be and are done, they usually entail an additional cost. Issues like that, and the details of their inclusion, are beyond the scope of this document, but you should be able to include them easily. The costs for instrument connections can vary widely depending on the devices' nature, use, and vendor\u2019s support.<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul><li>Once the system is set up, a system test and acceptance process begins as a part of a complete system acceptance\/validation program. This compares the contents of the user requirement document to the functioning systems. This allows you to verify that the system works according to your needs and specifications. This is part of the validation process but not the entire process.<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul><li>Recurring charges include the annual license renewal fee, usually a fraction of the initial license cost. In addition, there would be hardware support costs, software maintenance fees (e.g., underlying components, including the operating system), backup systems annual fees (e.g., power, hardware, software), and IT support costs. Support can involve software and hardware vendors, facilities management (e.g., backup power), and IT support.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Cloud-based SaaS LIMS, on the other hand, are hosted on the vendor's server and is ready to be accessed and used once it is initialized with your lab's specific details. No local software installation is needed. The costs and process of using this software implementation include the following considerations:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Access to SaaS LIMS entails the payment of the initial LIMS license and account setup fees. These are one-time fees. As noted above, these charges are usually based on the number of concurrent users of the system (i.e., \u201cseats\u201d). A similar set of account-based use cases (Table 3) can be used to calculate various account scenarios and their license costs.<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul><li>The next step is configuring the system to reflect your lab's requirements. This tends to be easier than an on-premises solution and would include setting up test descriptions (including test and product limits), personnel data, relevant initial customer data, report formats, access controls, and whatever else you define as needed to have a functioning system. This would not include instrument connections or connections to other systems. As noted earlier, while those can be and are done, they usually entail an additional cost.<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul><li>Once the system is set up, a system test and acceptance process allows you to verify that the system is working according to your needs and specifications. This is part of the validation process but not the entire process.<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul><li>Recurring charges include the annual license renewal fee, usually a fraction of the initial license cost. This is usually simpler than with an on-premises solution.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Table 4 provides a comparison of aspects of on-premises LIMS with cloud-based SaaS LIMS.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 4.<\/b> Comparison of aspects of on-premises LIMS with cloud-based SaaS LIMS.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">On-premises LIMS\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Cloud-based SaaS LIMS\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\u2022 The lab has complete control over system management and operations.<br \/>\u2022 The organization will have hardware and software purchase costs.<br \/>\u2022 The organization will have ongoing maintenance and support costs for IT services.<br \/>\u2022 The lab is responsible for implementation (LIMS and associated instrumentation) and validation.<br \/>\u2022 The implementation time for an on-premises system can take months for equipment and software selection, installation, validation, and to finally be put into service.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\u2022 The lab has control over tailoring and customization within limits set by the vendor.<br \/>\u2022 No software installation is necessary.<br \/>\u2022 The vendor provides all support and maintenance. IT services are not required.<br \/>\u2022 Instrument connections are provided by instrument API and vendor support services.<br \/>\u2022 Since there is no hardware\/software installation and operational qualification is provided by the vendor, the system is immediately ready to be initialized with your lab's testing and functional requirements. It can be put into service in short order.<br \/>\u2022 Validation requirements still have to be addressed.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>In the end, from a purely cost-focused perspective, the cloud-based SaaS LIMS may make more sense for the modern lab. The previous chapter's Table 1 compared 1980s-era concessions, considerations, and justifications for maintaining an existing lab's operations vs. acquiring and deploying an on-premises LIMS. While those same aspects largely pertain to today's on-premises LIMS installation, most of the costs of hardware, installation, IT support, data storage, etc., go away with a cloud-based LIMS installation. Suddenly the economic justification for a LIMS looks rosier due to the reduced costs associated with having your LIMS securely hosted by another entity. The core cloud LIMS could be available on an annual basis for less than the cost of one person, easily justified through productivity improvements, improved data governance, and improved regulatory compliance. For example, the average annual salary for a government lab worker is\n$43,757 (2022 average)<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-FPLabWork23_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-FPLabWork23-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>, which is very close to the base pay for a lab technician in Boston, Massachusetts (2023).<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GDHowMuchLab23_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GDHowMuchLab23-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup> \n<\/p><p>The first year\u2019s charges for a basic cloud-based LIMS with two concurrent users, including one-time and annual recurring charges, are less than that yearly salary value. The yearly recurring charge is less than a third of that technician's income. As you add on functions such as instrument interfacing (see the next subsection), both the initial and recurring costs will increase, and so will the productivity gains through faster, more efficient data entry and automation. Additionally, a cloud-based LIMS largely eliminates the need for on-site server hardware, software installation, and IT support. (Note: It is not our position that people should be laid off to justify the added cost of a LIMS, but some future hiring may be avoided or deferred.) Yes, training still needs to be provided, as does support for instrument connections. However, the latter can be phased in on an as-needed basis. \n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.2.2_Common_and_add-on_costs\">2.2.2 Common and add-on costs<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>It's important to note that regardless of the implementation approach, some costs are common to both on-premises and cloud-based SaaS systems. They include:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li><i>Networking<\/i>: Networking costs include wiring the lab and any recurring charges for support and the communications services themselves. These might come from a corporate budget or payments to an internet service provider. This should also include security protections against malware and intrusion. In the SaaS model, system security is provided by the vendor for the database system. An on-premises system is the lab\u2019s or IT service's responsibility. Even with the SaaS model, your company has to provide network security to prevent the internet access services from becoming an entry point for hackers into your lab network.<\/li>\n<li><i>Training<\/i>: Everyone needs to be educated in the use of the LIMS. Some, like systems administrators, are educated to a higher degree than others. There is an initial charge for this when the system is introduced and a recurring charge as it evolves and new lab personnel come on board. Education for on-premises systems is more demanding since someone designated within the lab or IT services would function as the system administrator and handle all system modifications, including LIMS and underlying software upgrades.<\/li>\n<li><i>Printers<\/i>: The truly paperless lab may exist, but it is a rarity. People like paper; it's easy to work with and reassuring when you hold your results in your hand.<\/li>\n<li><i>System access<\/i>: Everyone needs system terminals that provide access to the LIMS and other systems in the lab. These include laptops, full computers, tablets, smartphones, and thin-client terminals.<\/li>\n<li><i>Project management<\/i>: Project management exists as a separate line item that comes in two forms, regardless of whether an on-premises or SaaS installation is used, though on-premises implementations would entail considerably more effort. One is the work the vendor does in implementing your requests and providing the initial support, while the other is the work that you do to generate user requirements, evaluating vendors, and managing the process from \"we need a LIMS\" to \"its running and meets all specified requirements,\" and all the meetings and justifications that occur in between. That also includes having lab personnel educated on the use of the system. This is the basis for LIMS software process validation. Note that project management would be both an initial charge and a recurring cost. The latter accounts for updates to the user-controlled aspects of the system, such as adding new tests, clients, etc. (though software updates in SaaS environments are the vendor\u2019s responsibility).<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Beyond those costs common to both implementation types, there are add-on capabilities. These can include technologies such as barcodes and instrument connections, as well as others. While this document doesn't intend to review all or a majority of the add-on capabilities, we will look at the two mentioned to illustrate a template for their justification. (Note, however, that barcode and instrument connection capabilities would not be realized with paper-based systems and are difficult to undertake with spreadsheet implementations.)\n<\/p><p>Let's first address barcodes. Barcode technologies are an important alternative to manual data entry, greatly reducing the error rate.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-Brady1Dv2D22_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-Brady1Dv2D22-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> This is significant because the longer an error goes undetected, the greater the impact and cost repercussions. Take for example the early 1990s work of George Labovitz and Yu Sang Chang<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-4\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>, who created the 1-10-100 rule, which states that data entry errors multiply costs exponentially according to the stage at which they are identified and corrected. They reasoned that it costs you a dollar to fix a data entry error as soon as it's made, it will cost $10 at the next step of the process, perhaps when it is used as part of a calculation. If the error persists and is reported as part of an analytical sample report, it may cost $100 to fix, plus the embarrassment caused by the error. Those dollar figures are in 1992 valuations; in today\u2019s dollars (2023), $100 then equals roughly $215 today.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ODCPIInflatCalc_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ODCPIInflatCalc-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>The extent of error rate reduction that barcode technologies offer will vary by barcode print quality, how clean the label is, the scanning equipment used, the user's proficiency, and the sample container's geometry. Plex Systems provides an error rate of 1 per 300 characters for manual entry, with it potentially being as good as 1 per 36 trillion characters for barcodes (though this may be under ideal conditions).<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-PlexBarcoding_6-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-PlexBarcoding-6\">[6]<\/a><\/sup> ZIH Corp. states that the error rate of barcode data entry \u201chas been widely estimated at one error per 3 million characters.\u201d<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ZIHBarcode16_7-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ZIHBarcode16-7\">[7]<\/a><\/sup> Peak Technologies states that data entered by barcodes are four times less likely to contain errors than that entered by hand.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-KallenbachBarcodes20_8-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-KallenbachBarcodes20-8\">[8]<\/a><\/sup> Finally, a CDC study reports that data entry errors are \u201cnearly six times as likely from manual entry systems than from point-of-care test barcoding systems.\u201d<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-LMBPWEffective12_9-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-LMBPWEffective12-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup> There seems to be a disparity between studies that could be attributed to the difference between character counts and data entry measures where the data elements consist of multiple characters.\n<\/p><p>As you might expect, any statement about error reduction will have significance throughout the LIMS justification. In addition to error reduction, barcodes are faster than manual entry, reducing it from 10 to 20 seconds per entry to possibly two or three. In addition, in some regulated environments, manual data entry requires verification by a second person, increasing the cost significantly. Barcodes can impact the sample login process, sample location and inventory, results entry, and almost any step in the sample processing sequence.\n<\/p><p>Similar to Table 3, which provides a tabular template for examining user account costs, Table 5 gives you one possible way to tabulate a cost-benefit analysis of barcode technology.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 5.<\/b> A basic tabular cost-benefit analysis approach to incorporating barcode technology.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Lab costs and benefits\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Value\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"4\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Cost of equipment\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"> <br \/>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Barcode readers\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">                                 \n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Barcode printers\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Label stock for printing\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"4\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Savings\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"> <br \/>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Time saved in data entry\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Reduced cost of error correction\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Savings due to faster sample processing\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Result (savings minus costs)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>Beyond error limiting, using barcode technologies opens other opportunities to streamline lab operations and improve client relations for the lab. One possible example is shown in Table 6, demonstrating how a cooperative effort between the lab and its clients can result in labor reduction and faster sample processing. In that example, you could organize a system where sample containers and preprinted test request sheets with barcoded sample labels (keyed to a barcode on the test request form) are provided to a client who participates in the sample login process through a client access portal. This streamlines operations reduces errors, and could give the client a cost reduction in testing that would reflect their efforts.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 6.<\/b> Example of lab-client interaction for reduced cost sample processing.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Step\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Lab's work\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Clients efforts\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>1.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Sample containers and preprinted test request sheets with barcoded labels (keyed to a barcode on the test request form) are provided to a client.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>2.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">The client places the barcoded labels on the containers, fills out the test request form, and uses a remote sample login feature of LIMS to enter the samples into the system. The client then sends the samples to the lab.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>3.<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">When the test request form and samples reach the lab, they can be scanned into the system using a barcode reader and shown \u201cas being in the lab\u201d and ready for testing.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>The above points are particularly notable for labs that produce income from testing work, such as contract labs. These labs may improve working relationships with corporate internal clients by speeding up sample processing. If such labs are able to increase cooperative relationships with clients with the help of barcodes and pre-labeled sample containers, our cost-benefit analysis from Table 5 changes slightly, as seen in Table 7. \n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 7.<\/b> An advanced tabular cost-benefit analysis approach to incorporating barcode technology that also considers cooperative lab-client workflows.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Lab costs and benefits\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Value\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"5\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Cost of equipment\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"> <br \/>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Barcode readers\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">                                 \n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Barcode printers\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Label stock for printing\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Sample containers\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"5\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Savings\/benefits\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"> <br \/>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Time saved in data entry\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Reduced cost of error correction\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Savings due to faster sample processing\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Value of improved client relations\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Result (savings\/benefits minus cost)\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>Next we address IDS connections to the LIMS. A laboratory's processes and procedures (P&P) provide the steps for preparing samples and carrying out an analysis. Lab instruments generate the data and results that sample submitters are seeking. Anything we can do to streamline that process will reduce operating costs, increase the rate at which samples can be handled, and reduce errors. We can replace manual efforts at organizing work and entering results into a LIMS with an electronic system by connecting IDSs to LIMS. Table 8 compares the outcome of using an IDS and LIMS manually with developing an electronic connection between the two.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 8.<\/b> Comparison of two different methods of using an IDS with a LIMS.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Manually using an IDS and LIMS\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Using an electronic connection<br \/>between an IDS and LIMS\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>1. Use the LIMS to generate a worklist of samples to be processed by the IDS.<br \/>\n2. Print out that worklist.<br \/>\n3. Manually enter the information into the IDS, with verification.<br \/>\n4. Prepare the samples for processing and insert them into the autosampler, along with standards, verifying the order of materials.<br \/>\n5. When the samples have been processed, obtain a printout of the test results.<br \/>\n6. Bring up the worklist on the LIMS and manually enter the test results, with verification.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\n<p>1. Use the LIMS to generate a worklist of samples to be processed by the IDS.<br \/>\n2. Have the LIMS electronically send the worklist to the IDS.<br \/>\n3. Prepare the samples for processing and insert them into the autosampler, along with standards, verifying the order of materials.<br \/>\n4. When the samples have been processed, electronically send the results to the LIMS.\n<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>The electronic connection between the IDS and LIMS eliminates most of the need for manual operations at both the IDS and the LIMS. It also provides a basis for fully automating processes, with minimal demands on lab personnel, freeing them for more demanding tasks. The benefit is considerable cost savings in people's time and effort, with faster processing of samples from sample login, through processing, and review\/release of results.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.2.3_Factors_that_can_offset_costs\">2.2.3 Factors that can offset costs<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>In Table 1 of the previous chapter, we noted that some labs in the 1980s were considering the potential benefit of offsetting LIMS acquisition and deployment costs through investment tax credits, accelerated depreciation rate, and deductible interest rate payments. This concept largely still holds true today. Figure 3 demonstrates this in further detail.\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Fig3_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"ab8a5b60a125fb918ab6395e9e2efb5d\"><img alt=\"Fig3 Liscouski JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.limswiki.org\/www.limswiki.org\/images\/a\/a9\/Fig3_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><blockquote><p><b>Figure 3.<\/b> Potential offsets to LIMS costs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>Investment tax credits are available for hardware purchases and software development.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-PowellDont23_10-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-PowellDont23-10\">[10]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-BDOR.26D21_11-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-BDOR.26D21-11\">[11]<\/a><\/sup> How these apply to your project depends on the specifics of the work that is planned and the current state of the tax laws. The lab is best suited to consult with a finance or tax professional to best determine how such credits actually work. This also includes matters such as choosing to accelerate depreciation of fixed assets so as to defer tax liabilities until later<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ATAccel23_12-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ATAccel23-12\">[12]<\/a><\/sup>, or to deduct interest expenses on qualifying income-producing activities.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-KaganTax23_13-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-KaganTax23-13\">[13]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>An additional point worth looking at is how training is going to be handled. Will it be through the lab's budget or a general corporate training function? Splitting the project across multiple budgets (e.g., training, IT, etc.) may make it easier to fund and to take advantage of tax breaks.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-FPLabWork23-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-FPLabWork23_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.federalpay.org\/employees\/occupations\/laboratory-working\" target=\"_blank\">\"Occupation Index: Laboratory Working\"<\/a>. <i>FederalPay.org<\/i>. 2023<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.federalpay.org\/employees\/occupations\/laboratory-working\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.federalpay.org\/employees\/occupations\/laboratory-working<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. 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Brady Worldwide, Inc. 4 October 2022<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bradyid.com\/applications\/product-and-barcode-labeling\/1d-vs-2d-barcodes\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.bradyid.com\/applications\/product-and-barcode-labeling\/1d-vs-2d-barcodes<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=1D+vs+2D+Barcodes+%E2%80%94+What%E2%80%99s+the+Difference%3F&rft.atitle=&rft.date=4+October+2022&rft.pub=Brady+Worldwide%2C+Inc&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bradyid.com%2Fapplications%2Fproduct-and-barcode-labeling%2F1d-vs-2d-barcodes&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-4\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation book\">Labovitz, George; Chang, Yu Sang; Rosansky, Victor (1992). <i>Making quality work: A leadership guide for the results-driven manager<\/i>. Oliver Wight Ltd. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-0-939246-54-0.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Making+quality+work%3A+A+leadership+guide+for+the+results-driven+manager&rft.aulast=Labovitz&rft.aufirst=George&rft.au=Labovitz%2C%26%2332%3BGeorge&rft.au=Chang%2C%26%2332%3BYu+Sang&rft.au=Rosansky%2C%26%2332%3BVictor&rft.date=1992&rft.pub=Oliver+Wight+Ltd&rft.isbn=978-0-939246-54-0&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ODCPIInflatCalc-5\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-ODCPIInflatCalc_5-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Webster, I.. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.officialdata.org\/us\/inflation\/1992?amount=100\" target=\"_blank\">\"$100 in 1992 is worth $216.77 today\"<\/a>. <i>CPI Inflation Calculator<\/i>. Alioth LLC<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.officialdata.org\/us\/inflation\/1992?amount=100\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.officialdata.org\/us\/inflation\/1992?amount=100<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=%24100+in+1992+is+worth+%24216.77+today&rft.atitle=CPI+Inflation+Calculator&rft.aulast=Webster%2C+I.&rft.au=Webster%2C+I.&rft.pub=Alioth+LLC&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.officialdata.org%2Fus%2Finflation%2F1992%3Famount%3D100&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-PlexBarcoding-6\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-PlexBarcoding_6-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/media.techtarget.com\/Syndication\/ENTERPRISE_APPS\/Barcoding_WP.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\"Barcoding 101 for Manufacturers: What You Need to Know to Get Started\"<\/a>. Plex Systems<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/media.techtarget.com\/Syndication\/ENTERPRISE_APPS\/Barcoding_WP.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/media.techtarget.com\/Syndication\/ENTERPRISE_APPS\/Barcoding_WP.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. 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(18 March 2020). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dasco.com\/resources\/learning-center\/2020\/03\/18\/barcodes-in-the-lab\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"Barcodes in the Lab\"<\/a>. Peak Technologies<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dasco.com\/resources\/learning-center\/2020\/03\/18\/barcodes-in-the-lab\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.dasco.com\/resources\/learning-center\/2020\/03\/18\/barcodes-in-the-lab\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. 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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/labbestpractices\/pdfs\/CDC_BarCodingSummary.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/labbestpractices\/pdfs\/CDC_BarCodingSummary.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. 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(20 February 2023). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantemoran.com\/explore-our-thinking\/insight\/2020\/08\/is-your-business-getting-the-rd-tax-credit-it-deserves\" target=\"_blank\">\"Don\u2019t forget technology investments when it comes to the R&D tax credit\"<\/a>. <i>Explore Our Thinking<\/i>. Plante Moran<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantemoran.com\/explore-our-thinking\/insight\/2020\/08\/is-your-business-getting-the-rd-tax-credit-it-deserves\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.plantemoran.com\/explore-our-thinking\/insight\/2020\/08\/is-your-business-getting-the-rd-tax-credit-it-deserves<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Don%E2%80%99t+forget+technology+investments+when+it+comes+to+the+R%26D+tax+credit&rft.atitle=Explore+Our+Thinking&rft.aulast=Powell%2C+G.%3B+Peters%2C+J.&rft.au=Powell%2C+G.%3B+Peters%2C+J.&rft.date=20+February+2023&rft.pub=Plante+Moran&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.plantemoran.com%2Fexplore-our-thinking%2Finsight%2F2020%2F08%2Fis-your-business-getting-the-rd-tax-credit-it-deserves&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-BDOR.26D21-11\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-BDOR.26D21_11-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bdo.com\/insights\/tax\/r-d-tax-credits-for-the-technology-software-industry\" target=\"_blank\">\"R&D Tax Credits for the Technology & Software Industry\"<\/a>. BDO USA, P.A. 11 March 2021<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bdo.com\/insights\/tax\/r-d-tax-credits-for-the-technology-software-industry\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.bdo.com\/insights\/tax\/r-d-tax-credits-for-the-technology-software-industry<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=R%26D+Tax+Credits+for+the+Technology+%26+Software+Industry&rft.atitle=&rft.date=11+March+2021&rft.pub=BDO+USA%2C+P.A&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bdo.com%2Finsights%2Ftax%2Fr-d-tax-credits-for-the-technology-software-industry&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ATAccel23-12\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-ATAccel23_12-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountingtools.com\/articles\/what-is-accelerated-depreciation.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Accelerated depreciation definition\"<\/a>. <i>AccountingTools<\/i>. 7 June 2023<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountingtools.com\/articles\/what-is-accelerated-depreciation.html\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.accountingtools.com\/articles\/what-is-accelerated-depreciation.html<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Accelerated+depreciation+definition&rft.atitle=AccountingTools&rft.date=7+June+2023&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.accountingtools.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat-is-accelerated-depreciation.html&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-KaganTax23-13\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-KaganTax23_13-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Kagan, J. (8 March 2023). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/t\/tax-deductible-interest.asp\" target=\"_blank\">\"Tax-Deductible Interest: Definition and Types That Qualify\"<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/t\/tax-deductible-interest.asp\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/t\/tax-deductible-interest.asp<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Tax-Deductible+Interest%3A+Definition+and+Types+That+Qualify&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Kagan%2C+J.&rft.au=Kagan%2C+J.&rft.date=8+March+2023&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.investopedia.com%2Fterms%2Ft%2Ftax-deductible-interest.asp&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152038\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.414 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.494 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 9022\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 100156\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 23189\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 18\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 20826\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 242.445 1 -total\n 91.17% 221.031 1 Template:Reflist\n 70.45% 170.804 13 Template:Citation\/core\n 67.02% 162.493 12 Template:Cite_web\n 15.51% 37.614 11 Template:Date\n 12.73% 30.868 1 Template:Cite_book\n 8.77% 21.269 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\n 5.58% 13.521 1 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 5.04% 12.230 19 Template:Citation\/make_link\n 1.67% 4.051 1 Template:Column-width\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14321-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152037 and revision id 52647. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Economic_considerations_and_justifications<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_images":["https:\/\/s3.limswiki.org\/www.limswiki.org\/images\/6\/65\/Fig2_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png","https:\/\/s3.limswiki.org\/www.limswiki.org\/images\/a\/a9\/Fig3_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png"],"e5d551ec74f0b7560c3274966a954e79_timestamp":1690384837,"60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_type":"article","60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_title":"2.1 Organizational justifications: Why is it important?","60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F","60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Organizational justifications: Why is it important?From LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\nContents \n\n1 2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS \n\n1.1 2.1 Organizational justifications: Why is it important? \n\n1.1.1 2.1.1 Why is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab? \n1.1.2 2.1.2 What problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab? \n1.1.3 2.1.3 What operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation? \n1.1.4 2.1.4 Why is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab? \n\n\n\n\n2 References \n\n\n\n 2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS \nAs a lab manager or stakeholder in your organization, you've concluded that a laboratory information management system (LIMS) makes a lot of sense for solving some of the challenges your lab faces. But you're not the primary decision maker for LIMS acquisition and deployment. At some point, you will have to present your case (i.e., provide justification) for the LIMS to management, and the material included in this chapter will help you make that case. There are different approaches to the justification of LIMS in the laboratory; the methodology you adopt should be based on your understanding of the technology and the dynamics of your management structure. In some cases, presenting practical aspects of a core organizational system like LIMS will be sufficient, while in others a more rigorous analysis will be warranted.\nThis chapter will examine this justification process by first encouraging your organization to look at the factors that are closest to the lab's essential laboratory functions. From there, we can look at the more traditional economic and practical considerations, justifications, and benefits that can help you with your presentation to management. This allows us to lead into the following chapter, which will discuss the importance of management buy-in, as well as how to pitch the LIMS project to management and critical stakeholders using a project proposal and what you learn from this chapter.\n\r\n\n\n 2.1 Organizational justifications: Why is it important? \nBefore we get into the more classical aspects of justification, we need to look at those factors that are closest to your lab's essential operations. It's all well and good for us to broadly speak about the typical challenges, requirements, and considerations for labs of all types; some important deductions can be made by looking at the industry as a whole. However, no two laboratories are alike, and the challenges, requirements, and considerations for your laboratory may very well differ from the typical. This is why it's vital to not only use broad facts to justify LIMS acquisition but also integrate those facts within the context of your own lab. A series of important questions sets the stage for better explaining why the LIMS is necessary and beneficial to the lab. Questions that need to be asked include:\n\nWhy is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab?\nWhat problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab?\nWhat operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation?\nWhy is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab?\nIf you're part of a new lab, you might respond to such questions by noting that data and operations management activities are finding a solid base, by putting together systems and procedures that will support later growth and not have to be changed later. Those in an existing lab may have even more in-depth questions. In all cases, the answers provided shouldn't be seen as a challenge to your lab's knowledge and ability, but rather to senior management, who needs to better understand how pivotal technology like a LIMS can change the way the lab operates.\nTruth be told, no \"one size fits all\" justification template exists for a LIMS. It can be the basis for restructuring your lab's operations and changing how it operates. Additionally, the justification for LIMS acquisition and deployment is\u2014as the above questions emphasize\u2014more than a dollars-and-cents consideration, although ultimately, it boils down to that. Management often thinks in terms of cost, and the further someone is in the corporate organizational chart from lab operations, the more financial issues become a driving factor in understanding the impact of a LIMS. They may need to be educated on the benefits of LIMS to lab operations, as well as the organization's bottom line. If lab budgets are tight, money may be a driving factor in that department. In other cases, it might be more straightforward, as reported by one oil company: \u201cIn our case, it pays for itself the day LIMS prevents one single day of refining gone to waste.\u201d[1] Similar cases can be made for any regulated industry. Yes, it\u2019s a money issue, but that is considerably removed from the lab's budget. The justification needs to be viewed from more than one perspective.\nLet's now address each of those four questions. \n\n 2.1.1 Why is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab? \nPresumably, your organization has set out a series of business goals as part of a strategic planning process. Those developed goals should be purpose-driven, actionable, measurable, and forward-focused over a sufficiently long period of time to be fully indicative of the organization's long-term vision.[2] Having these goals on-hand are critical for any organization-specific justification of LIMS acquisition and deployment. These goals should, in theory, represent how upper management and key stakeholders view the organization's pathway to success. If you can match LIMS acquisition justification to those organizational goals, you'll have a better chance of getting through to management. If you can further make that goal-guided justification relevant and current to what's happening in the present, then it\u2019s all the better; \"the goals that are timely and pressing are those that earn priority.\"[2]\nPerhaps one of the organizational goals is for timely, accurate analytical results that are cleanly reported, with the belief that such service will earn repeat business in the future, which is a boon to the organization seeking consistency in its operational income. The lab manager who understands the benefits of a LIMS could then link a LIMS to fewer analytical errors and more timely error checking due to the automated nature of the system, as well as more rapid reporting and result distribution to clients. The lab manager could then tie these benefits to the original organizational goal, even providing theorized examples of improved return on investment (ROI) and how those savings could pay for the LIMS in relatively short order.\n\n 2.1.2 What problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab? \nIf you're part of a mature, long-standing lab, there are likely to be some problems or challenges that have been identified as impacting your lab. Now is a good time to see how a LIMS can potentially aid with those problems and challenges. But new labs can also benefit; if your lab is new, the strategic planning process should have included risk analysis that successfully captures currently viewed and potential future risks to the business and achieving its mission-critical goals and priorities.[3] Drawing upon these risks helps you envision potential future problems you lab may encounter, as well as how a LIMS can help mitigate or prevent them. \nAn easy real-world example may be found with the challenges clinical labs encountered at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those with manual, paper-based workflows that still saw high-throughput activity buckled and cracked under the workloads that the pandemic pressed upon them.[4][5][6] Not only was keeping up with workloads on paper more difficult, but also tracking specimens and providing timely reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were especially challenging. Acquisition and deployment of a LIMS or laboratory information system (LIS) suddenly made more sense for its ability to better help manage increased test demand through improved test ordering methods, standardized order sets, timely shipping notifications, automated triaging, additional data mining, and smoother reporting both internally and to stakeholders (i.e., patients, governing bodies, policymakers).[6] Yes, there's a cost associated with the LIMS or LIS, but solving the paper-based challenge can make sense in the long-term for many such labs.\n\n 2.1.3 What operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation? \nYou likely aren't pushing for the acquisition and deployment of a LIMS without some expectation of operational, financial, and\/or personnel improvement occurring as a result. Of course, you can't go to management and wave around vague claims of improvement without any research and evidence to back up your assertions. This is where things get a bit tricky, potentially necessitating speculative examination of current and post-implementation workflow methods, ROI calculations, and surveys of lab personnel, to name only a few. It may also require an extensive demonstration of one or more potential LIMS by their respective vendors, including real-life examples of the lab's own analyses and workflows worked into the demonstrations. In the end, the lab manager and stakeholders will be looking to link LIMS implementation to expected improvements in quantifiable and qualifiable ways.\nPerhaps a survey of laboratory personnel finds that 72 percent of them believe they'll save at least one hour of work a day for other important activities with the implementation of a LIMS. You then further examine the reasons for that belief and discover the current paper-based and spreadsheet methods involve a lot of manual order entry, additional footwork, waiting for spreadsheets to become available, and cleaning up of data entry errors. You then quantify the number of data entry errors and time spent on them, as well as the time spent entering orders, filing paperwork, waiting for resources, and performing quality checks on manually entered results. From there, you can readily imagine and demonstrate how a LIMS saves time and streamlines workflows, freeing up personnel for tasks that can't be automated and increasing productivity. That's something you can take to major stakeholders as part of your organizational justification for a LIMS.\n\n 2.1.4 Why is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab? \nThe first three questions largely address the importance of a LIMS to the larger organization. But here the lab manager or key LIMS stakeholder has the opportunity to paint a broader picture of the importance of the LIMS in the scope of organizational goals, risks, challenges, and areas of improvement. \"Importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something,\" according to Merriam-Webster.[7] This value judgment can be expressed in many different ways, but you'll essentially be stating evidence that the LIMS is of \"superior worth\" to the current status quo. Many of the points made in the prior questions can be applied here, but you'll want to make the value judgment quantifiable, as well as qualifiable. \nAlso of interest with this question are stakeholders outside the lab. By extension, this generally implies that the value judgment of the LIMS relates also to the recipients of the analytical test data and information, whether they are patients, doctors, geologists, manufacturers, or regulatory bodies. Simply put, while the lab's and overall organization's impact are important, the lab and overall organization\u2014through its business goals\u2014ultimately serves its external stakeholders ordering or requiring reporting of laboratory analyses. The same value judgment and \"superior worth\" applied internally also must be applied to the data and information recipients. What do they gain by the lab shifting from paper-based methods to a LIMS? Are their results more timely and accurate? Are they more empowered through a results portal? Do they recommend you to other potential clients as a result? Some answers may be speculative, but similar to how lab personnel may get surveyed, one can imagine how conducting interviews with critical external stakeholders may reveal tangible evidence that shifting to a LIMS may prove to be an important move for the long-term future of the lab and its customers.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 Segalstad, S. (18 May 2015). \"Cost of LIMS: True Pricing includes more than Purchase, Implementation and Annual Licensing\". R&D World. https:\/\/www.rdworldonline.com\/cost-of-lims-true-pricing-includes-more-than-purchase-implementation-and-annual-licensing\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 2.0 2.1 Cote, C. (29 October 2020). \"How to Set Strategic Planning Goals\". Business Insights Blog. Harvard Business School Online. https:\/\/online.hbs.edu\/blog\/post\/strategic-planning-goals . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"Strategic Planning Essentials\" (PDF). Gartner, Inc. 2023. https:\/\/emtemp.gcom.cloud\/ngw\/globalassets\/en\/insights\/strategic-planning\/2023\/documents\/strategic-planning-ebook-2023-risk.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"A Vision for Action in Digital Health, 2020-2024\" (PDF). USAID. May 2022. https:\/\/www.usaid.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-05\/USAID-A-Digital-Health-Vision-for-Action-v10.28_FINAL_508.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Barnes, C. (June 2022). \"Going paperless: The world has changed\" (PDF). Pathology Focus (Australian Clinicalabs) (18). https:\/\/www.clinicallabs.com.au\/media\/4165\/pathology-focus-newsletter-june-2022-vic-qld-aclmar-news-nat-03898-digital.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 6.0 6.1 Weemaes, Matthias; Martens, Steven; Cuypers, Lize; Van Elslande, Jan; Hoet, Katrien; Welkenhuysen, Joris; Goossens, Ria; Wouters, Stijn et al. (1 August 2020). \"Laboratory information system requirements to manage the COVID-19 pandemic: A report from the Belgian national reference testing center\" (in en). Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 27 (8): 1293\u20131299. doi:10.1093\/jamia\/ocaa081. ISSN 1527-974X. PMC PMC7197526. PMID 32348469. https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jamia\/article\/27\/8\/1293\/5827002 .   \n \n\n\u2191 \"importance\". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/importance . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:53.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 5 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Organizational_economic_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS_Organizational_justifications_Why_is_it_important rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Organizational_economic_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS_Organizational_justifications_Why_is_it_important skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Organizational justifications: Why is it important?<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n\n\n<h2><span id=\"rdp-ebb-2._Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2._Organizational.2C_economic.2C_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\">2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Cynap-pure_business-meeting_(46796915672).jpg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"b46aecd57b4cd94215be50a0ad20fd1c\"><img alt=\"Cynap-pure business-meeting (46796915672).jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/9\/97\/Cynap-pure_business-meeting_%2846796915672%29.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>As a lab manager or stakeholder in your organization, you've concluded that a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_management_system\" title=\"Laboratory information management system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8ff56a51d34c9b1806fcebdcde634d00\">laboratory information management system<\/a> (LIMS) makes a lot of sense for solving some of the challenges your lab faces. But you're not the primary decision maker for LIMS acquisition and deployment. At some point, you will have to present your case (i.e., provide justification) for the LIMS to management, and the material included in this chapter will help you make that case. There are different approaches to the justification of LIMS in the laboratory; the methodology you adopt should be based on your understanding of the technology and the dynamics of your management structure. In some cases, presenting practical aspects of a core organizational system like LIMS will be sufficient, while in others a more rigorous analysis will be warranted.\n<\/p><p>This chapter will examine this justification process by first encouraging your organization to look at the factors that are closest to the lab's essential laboratory functions. From there, we can look at the more traditional economic and practical considerations, justifications, and benefits that can help you with your presentation to management. This allows us to lead into the following chapter, which will discuss the importance of management buy-in, as well as how to pitch the LIMS project to management and critical stakeholders using a project proposal and what you learn from this chapter.\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"rdp-ebb-2.1_Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.1_Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important.3F\">2.1 Organizational justifications: Why is it important?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before we get into the more classical aspects of justification, we need to look at those factors that are closest to your lab's essential operations. It's all well and good for us to broadly speak about the typical challenges, requirements, and considerations for labs of all types; some important deductions can be made by looking at the industry as a whole. However, no two laboratories are alike, and the challenges, requirements, and considerations for your laboratory may very well differ from the typical. This is why it's vital to not only use broad facts to justify LIMS acquisition but also integrate those facts within the context of your own lab. A series of important questions sets the stage for better explaining why the LIMS is necessary and beneficial to the lab. Questions that need to be asked include:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>Why is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab?<\/li>\n<li>What problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab?<\/li>\n<li>What operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation?<\/li>\n<li>Why is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab?<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>If you're part of a new lab, you might respond to such questions by noting that data and operations management activities are finding a solid base, by putting together systems and procedures that will support later growth and not have to be changed later. Those in an existing lab may have even more in-depth questions. In all cases, the answers provided shouldn't be seen as a challenge to your lab's knowledge and ability, but rather to senior management, who needs to better understand how pivotal technology like a LIMS can change the way the lab operates.\n<\/p><p>Truth be told, no \"one size fits all\" justification template exists for a LIMS. It can be the basis for restructuring your lab's operations and changing how it operates. Additionally, the justification for LIMS acquisition and deployment is\u2014as the above questions emphasize\u2014more than a dollars-and-cents consideration, although ultimately, it boils down to that. Management often thinks in terms of cost, and the further someone is in the corporate organizational chart from lab operations, the more financial issues become a driving factor in understanding the impact of a LIMS. They may need to be educated on the benefits of LIMS to lab operations, as well as the organization's bottom line. If lab budgets are tight, money may be a driving factor in that department. In other cases, it might be more straightforward, as reported by one oil company: \u201cIn our case, it pays for itself the day LIMS prevents one single day of refining gone to waste.\u201d<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-SegalstadCost15_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-SegalstadCost15-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup> Similar cases can be made for any regulated industry. Yes, it\u2019s a money issue, but that is considerably removed from the lab's budget. The justification needs to be viewed from more than one perspective.\n<\/p><p>Let's now address each of those four questions. \n<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"rdp-ebb-2.1.1_Why_is_acquiring_a_LIMS_important_to_meeting_the_goals_of_your_lab?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.1.1_Why_is_acquiring_a_LIMS_important_to_meeting_the_goals_of_your_lab.3F\">2.1.1 Why is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab?<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Presumably, your organization has set out a series of business goals as part of a strategic planning process. Those developed goals should be purpose-driven, actionable, measurable, and forward-focused over a sufficiently long period of time to be fully indicative of the organization's long-term vision.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-CoteHowToSet20_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-CoteHowToSet20-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup> Having these goals on-hand are critical for any organization-specific justification of LIMS acquisition and deployment. These goals should, in theory, represent how upper management and key stakeholders view the organization's pathway to success. If you can match LIMS acquisition justification to those organizational goals, you'll have a better chance of getting through to management. If you can further make that goal-guided justification relevant and current to what's happening in the present, then it\u2019s all the better; \"the goals that are timely and pressing are those that earn priority.\"<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-CoteHowToSet20_2-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-CoteHowToSet20-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>Perhaps one of the organizational goals is for timely, accurate analytical results that are cleanly reported, with the belief that such service will earn repeat business in the future, which is a boon to the organization seeking consistency in its operational income. The lab manager who understands the benefits of a LIMS could then link a LIMS to fewer analytical errors and more timely error checking due to the automated nature of the system, as well as more rapid reporting and result distribution to clients. The lab manager could then tie these benefits to the original organizational goal, even providing theorized examples of improved return on investment (ROI) and how those savings could pay for the LIMS in relatively short order.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"rdp-ebb-2.1.2_What_problems_does_the_LIMS_solve_that_currently_affect_your_lab?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.1.2_What_problems_does_the_LIMS_solve_that_currently_affect_your_lab.3F\">2.1.2 What problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab?<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>If you're part of a mature, long-standing lab, there are likely to be some problems or challenges that have been identified as impacting your lab. Now is a good time to see how a LIMS can potentially aid with those problems and challenges. But new labs can also benefit; if your lab is new, the strategic planning process should have included risk analysis that successfully captures currently viewed and potential future risks to the business and achieving its mission-critical goals and priorities.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GartnerStrat23_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GartnerStrat23-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup> Drawing upon these risks helps you envision potential future problems you lab may encounter, as well as how a LIMS can help mitigate or prevent them. \n<\/p><p>An easy real-world example may be found with the challenges clinical labs encountered at the onset of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/COVID-19\" class=\"mw-redirect wiki-link\" title=\"COVID-19\" data-key=\"da9bd20c492b2a17074ad66c2fe25652\">COVID-19<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Pandemic\" title=\"Pandemic\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"bd9a48e6c6e41b6d603ee703836b01f1\">pandemic<\/a>. Those with manual, paper-based workflows that still saw high-throughput activity buckled and cracked under the workloads that the pandemic pressed upon them.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-USAIDAVis22_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-USAIDAVis22-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-BarnesGoing22_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-BarnesGoing22-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:0_6-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:0-6\">[6]<\/a><\/sup> Not only was keeping up with workloads on paper more difficult, but also tracking specimens and providing timely reporting to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention\" title=\"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"176aa9c9513251c328d864d1e724e814\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC) were especially challenging. Acquisition and deployment of a LIMS or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_system\" title=\"Laboratory information system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"37add65b4d1c678b382a7d4817a9cf64\">laboratory information system<\/a> (LIS) suddenly made more sense for its ability to better help manage increased test demand through improved test ordering methods, standardized order sets, timely shipping notifications, automated triaging, additional data mining, and smoother reporting both internally and to stakeholders (i.e., patients, governing bodies, policymakers).<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:0_6-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:0-6\">[6]<\/a><\/sup> Yes, there's a cost associated with the LIMS or LIS, but solving the paper-based challenge can make sense in the long-term for many such labs.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"rdp-ebb-2.1.3_What_operational,_financial,_and_personnel_improvements_do_you_expect_to_see_in_your_lab_because_of_LIMS_implementation?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.1.3_What_operational.2C_financial.2C_and_personnel_improvements_do_you_expect_to_see_in_your_lab_because_of_LIMS_implementation.3F\">2.1.3 What operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation?<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>You likely aren't pushing for the acquisition and deployment of a LIMS without some expectation of operational, financial, and\/or personnel improvement occurring as a result. Of course, you can't go to management and wave around vague claims of improvement without any research and evidence to back up your assertions. This is where things get a bit tricky, potentially necessitating speculative examination of current and post-implementation workflow methods, ROI calculations, and surveys of lab personnel, to name only a few. It may also require an extensive demonstration of one or more potential LIMS by their respective vendors, including real-life examples of the lab's own analyses and workflows worked into the demonstrations. In the end, the lab manager and stakeholders will be looking to link LIMS implementation to expected improvements in quantifiable and qualifiable ways.\n<\/p><p>Perhaps a survey of laboratory personnel finds that 72 percent of them believe they'll save at least one hour of work a day for other important activities with the implementation of a LIMS. You then further examine the reasons for that belief and discover the current paper-based and spreadsheet methods involve a lot of manual order entry, additional footwork, waiting for spreadsheets to become available, and cleaning up of data entry errors. You then quantify the number of data entry errors and time spent on them, as well as the time spent entering orders, filing paperwork, waiting for resources, and performing quality checks on manually entered results. From there, you can readily imagine and demonstrate how a LIMS saves time and streamlines workflows, freeing up personnel for tasks that can't be automated and increasing productivity. That's something you can take to major stakeholders as part of your organizational justification for a LIMS.\n<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"rdp-ebb-2.1.4_Why_is_this_important_to_the_larger_organization,_as_well_as_those_outside_the_lab?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"2.1.4_Why_is_this_important_to_the_larger_organization.2C_as_well_as_those_outside_the_lab.3F\">2.1.4 Why is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab?<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The first three questions largely address the importance of a LIMS to the larger organization. But here the lab manager or key LIMS stakeholder has the opportunity to paint a broader picture of the importance of the LIMS in the scope of organizational goals, risks, challenges, and areas of improvement. \"Importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something,\" according to Merriam-Webster.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-MWImportance23_7-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-MWImportance23-7\">[7]<\/a><\/sup> This value judgment can be expressed in many different ways, but you'll essentially be stating evidence that the LIMS is of \"superior worth\" to the current status quo. Many of the points made in the prior questions can be applied here, but you'll want to make the value judgment quantifiable, as well as qualifiable. \n<\/p><p>Also of interest with this question are stakeholders outside the lab. By extension, this generally implies that the value judgment of the LIMS relates also to the recipients of the analytical test data and information, whether they are patients, doctors, geologists, manufacturers, or regulatory bodies. Simply put, while the lab's and overall organization's impact are important, the lab and overall organization\u2014through its business goals\u2014ultimately serves its external stakeholders ordering or requiring reporting of laboratory analyses. The same value judgment and \"superior worth\" applied internally also must be applied to the data and information recipients. What do they gain by the lab shifting from paper-based methods to a LIMS? Are their results more timely and accurate? Are they more empowered through a results portal? Do they recommend you to other potential clients as a result? Some answers may be speculative, but similar to how lab personnel may get surveyed, one can imagine how conducting interviews with critical external stakeholders may reveal tangible evidence that shifting to a LIMS may prove to be an important move for the long-term future of the lab and its customers.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-SegalstadCost15-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-SegalstadCost15_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Segalstad, S. (18 May 2015). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rdworldonline.com\/cost-of-lims-true-pricing-includes-more-than-purchase-implementation-and-annual-licensing\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"Cost of LIMS: True Pricing includes more than Purchase, Implementation and Annual Licensing\"<\/a>. <i>R&D World<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rdworldonline.com\/cost-of-lims-true-pricing-includes-more-than-purchase-implementation-and-annual-licensing\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.rdworldonline.com\/cost-of-lims-true-pricing-includes-more-than-purchase-implementation-and-annual-licensing\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Cost+of+LIMS%3A+True+Pricing+includes+more+than+Purchase%2C+Implementation+and+Annual+Licensing&rft.atitle=R%26D+World&rft.aulast=Segalstad%2C+S.&rft.au=Segalstad%2C+S.&rft.date=18+May+2015&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rdworldonline.com%2Fcost-of-lims-true-pricing-includes-more-than-purchase-implementation-and-annual-licensing%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-CoteHowToSet20-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-CoteHowToSet20_2-0\">2.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-CoteHowToSet20_2-1\">2.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Cote, C. (29 October 2020). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/online.hbs.edu\/blog\/post\/strategic-planning-goals\" target=\"_blank\">\"How to Set Strategic Planning Goals\"<\/a>. <i>Business Insights Blog<\/i>. Harvard Business School Online<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/online.hbs.edu\/blog\/post\/strategic-planning-goals\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/online.hbs.edu\/blog\/post\/strategic-planning-goals<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=How+to+Set+Strategic+Planning+Goals&rft.atitle=Business+Insights+Blog&rft.aulast=Cote%2C+C.&rft.au=Cote%2C+C.&rft.date=29+October+2020&rft.pub=Harvard+Business+School+Online&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fonline.hbs.edu%2Fblog%2Fpost%2Fstrategic-planning-goals&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-GartnerStrat23-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-GartnerStrat23_3-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/emtemp.gcom.cloud\/ngw\/globalassets\/en\/insights\/strategic-planning\/2023\/documents\/strategic-planning-ebook-2023-risk.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\"Strategic Planning Essentials\"<\/a> (PDF). Gartner, Inc. 2023<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/emtemp.gcom.cloud\/ngw\/globalassets\/en\/insights\/strategic-planning\/2023\/documents\/strategic-planning-ebook-2023-risk.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/emtemp.gcom.cloud\/ngw\/globalassets\/en\/insights\/strategic-planning\/2023\/documents\/strategic-planning-ebook-2023-risk.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Strategic+Planning+Essentials&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2023&rft.pub=Gartner%2C+Inc&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Femtemp.gcom.cloud%2Fngw%2Fglobalassets%2Fen%2Finsights%2Fstrategic-planning%2F2023%2Fdocuments%2Fstrategic-planning-ebook-2023-risk.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-USAIDAVis22-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-USAIDAVis22_4-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usaid.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-05\/USAID-A-Digital-Health-Vision-for-Action-v10.28_FINAL_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\"A Vision for Action in Digital Health, 2020-2024\"<\/a> (PDF). USAID. May 2022<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usaid.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-05\/USAID-A-Digital-Health-Vision-for-Action-v10.28_FINAL_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.usaid.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-05\/USAID-A-Digital-Health-Vision-for-Action-v10.28_FINAL_508.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=A+Vision+for+Action+in+Digital+Health%2C+2020-2024&rft.atitle=&rft.date=May+2022&rft.pub=USAID&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usaid.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2022-05%2FUSAID-A-Digital-Health-Vision-for-Action-v10.28_FINAL_508.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-BarnesGoing22-5\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-BarnesGoing22_5-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Barnes, C. (June 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicallabs.com.au\/media\/4165\/pathology-focus-newsletter-june-2022-vic-qld-aclmar-news-nat-03898-digital.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\"Going paperless: The world has changed\"<\/a> (PDF). <i>Pathology Focus<\/i> (Australian Clinicalabs) (18)<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicallabs.com.au\/media\/4165\/pathology-focus-newsletter-june-2022-vic-qld-aclmar-news-nat-03898-digital.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.clinicallabs.com.au\/media\/4165\/pathology-focus-newsletter-june-2022-vic-qld-aclmar-news-nat-03898-digital.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Going+paperless%3A+The+world+has+changed&rft.jtitle=Pathology+Focus&rft.aulast=Barnes%2C+C.&rft.au=Barnes%2C+C.&rft.date=June+2022&rft.issue=18&rft.pub=Australian+Clinicalabs&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clinicallabs.com.au%2Fmedia%2F4165%2Fpathology-focus-newsletter-june-2022-vic-qld-aclmar-news-nat-03898-digital.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-:0-6\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-:0_6-0\">6.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-:0_6-1\">6.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Weemaes, Matthias; Martens, Steven; Cuypers, Lize; Van Elslande, Jan; Hoet, Katrien; Welkenhuysen, Joris; Goossens, Ria; Wouters, Stijn <i>et al.<\/i> (1 August 2020). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jamia\/article\/27\/8\/1293\/5827002\" target=\"_blank\">\"Laboratory information system requirements to manage the COVID-19 pandemic: A report from the Belgian national reference testing center\"<\/a> (in en). <i>Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association<\/i> <b>27<\/b> (8): 1293\u20131299. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1093%2Fjamia%2Focaa081\" target=\"_blank\">10.1093\/jamia\/ocaa081<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Serial_Number\" data-key=\"a5dec3e4d005e654c29ad167ab53f53a\">ISSN<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/issn\/1527-974X\" target=\"_blank\">1527-974X<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PubMed_Central\" data-key=\"c85bdffd69dd30e02024b9cc3d7679e2\">PMC<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7197526\/\" target=\"_blank\">PMC7197526<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PubMed_Identifier\" data-key=\"1d34e999f13d8801964a6b3e9d7b4e30\">PMID<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/32348469\" target=\"_blank\">32348469<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jamia\/article\/27\/8\/1293\/5827002\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jamia\/article\/27\/8\/1293\/5827002<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Laboratory+information+system+requirements+to+manage+the+COVID-19+pandemic%3A+A+report+from+the+Belgian+national+reference+testing+center&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+the+American+Medical+Informatics+Association&rft.aulast=Weemaes&rft.aufirst=Matthias&rft.au=Weemaes%2C%26%2332%3BMatthias&rft.au=Martens%2C%26%2332%3BSteven&rft.au=Cuypers%2C%26%2332%3BLize&rft.au=Van+Elslande%2C%26%2332%3BJan&rft.au=Hoet%2C%26%2332%3BKatrien&rft.au=Welkenhuysen%2C%26%2332%3BJoris&rft.au=Goossens%2C%26%2332%3BRia&rft.au=Wouters%2C%26%2332%3BStijn&rft.au=Houben%2C%26%2332%3BEls&rft.date=1+August+2020&rft.volume=27&rft.issue=8&rft.pages=1293%E2%80%931299&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1093%2Fjamia%2Focaa081&rft.issn=1527-974X&rft_id=info:pmc\/PMC7197526&rft_id=info:pmid\/32348469&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Fjamia%2Farticle%2F27%2F8%2F1293%2F5827002&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-MWImportance23-7\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-MWImportance23_7-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/importance\" target=\"_blank\">\"importance\"<\/a>. <i>Merriam-Webster Dictionary<\/i>. Merriam-Webster<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/importance\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/importance<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=importance&rft.atitle=Merriam-Webster+Dictionary&rft.pub=Merriam-Webster&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.merriam-webster.com%2Fdictionary%2Fimportance&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152037\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.241 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.278 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 5468\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 57249\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 15045\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 25\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 14040\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 225.600 1 -total\n 90.98% 205.261 1 Template:Reflist\n 66.88% 150.885 7 Template:Citation\/core\n 42.26% 95.346 5 Template:Cite_web\n 34.80% 78.508 2 Template:Cite_journal\n 16.22% 36.595 4 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 12.25% 27.639 6 Template:Date\n 9.18% 20.700 8 Template:Hide_in_print\n 8.96% 20.225 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important?\n 4.88% 11.011 10 Template:Citation\/make_link\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14320-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152037 and revision id 52646. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/9\/97\/Cynap-pure_business-meeting_%2846796915672%29.jpg"],"60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae_timestamp":1690384837,"55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_type":"article","55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_title":"1.5 Why a LIMS matters","55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters","55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/Why a LIMS mattersFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n1.5 Why a LIMS matters \nThough external pressures to improve operations may have increased, the goals of laboratory work today are much the same as they were in the past: produce high-quality results, with the best productivity possible while keeping initial and ongoing costs to a reasonable level. The goals differ only slightly among the different types of labs:\n\nTesting: Whether supporting research programs or conducting contract-based analytical testing for clients, work efficiently and effectively to produce high-quality and accurate analytical test results while maintaining profitability.\nResearch: Develop new products, solve production problems, and solve real-world problems (e.g., curing disease, developing alternative fuels, improving food production, etc.), while ensuring at the same time that analyses and studies are conducted consistently, accurately, and ethically.\nQA\/QC: Support production and manufacturing operations through accurate and timely testing, while promoting higher levels of quality, consumer safety, and consumer satisfaction.\nThe goals are typically driven by management and other key stakeholders within the organization. Those same people hopefully recognize that meeting those goals requires more than simply managing the lab's personnel. The lab's success also hinges upon the management of equipment, infrastructure (including power), data, information, and the systems used to produce and manage the products of the lab work: analytical data and information. The previous sections examined the transition from paper-based to electronic lab, and from that examination we begin to see that LIMS and other laboratory informatics solutions are increasingly an important part of the equation for organizational success. This growing informatics architecture is a hierarchical structure with work requests and the needs of regulatory and corporate compliance flowing into it, and produced worklists being distributed to stations when the analysis is completed. The results then flow back into the LIMS, the central hub for this activity. Lab results can be interrogated, analyzed, and distributed as needed (Figure 1).\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFigure 1. LIMS as the hub of lab data and operations management. All work requests are managed through the LIMS. Those work requests are the basis for worklists sent to instruments, with the results again collected in the LIMS. The LIMS provides a one-stop source for all lab activities, greatly simplifying and improving lab operations.\n\n\n\nYour organization must be able to support the lab's goals, meet the demands of regulators, and meet your organization's responsibilities for data governance, all while maintaining an economically sound operation. Can that realistically be done without a LIMS supporting your operations? For example, would you run your accounting department without a software system? From that viewpoint, your accounting system's benefits to that department's work are similar in principle to those provided to your lab by a LIMS.\nThis section only touches upon why a LIMS matters to a laboratory and meeting its operational goals. Introducing a LIMS is an opportunity to solve operational management issues, improve productivity, make it easier to meet regulatory requirements and guidelines, turn the lab's data and information into a valuable asset, and meet modern demands for data governance. The next chapter goes into greater detail about the organizational, economic, and practical justifications behind acquiring and deploying a LIMS in your lab, further clarifying why the LIMS should matter to you and your organization, and why the benefits of LIMS far outweigh the costs.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\r\n\n\n-----Go to the next chapter of this guide-----\nCitation information for this chapter \nChapter: 1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\nTitle: Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\nEdition: First Edition\nAuthor for citation: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\nLicense for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International\nPublication date: July 2023\n\r\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:52.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 6 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_Why_a_LIMS_matters rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_Why_a_LIMS_matters skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/Why a LIMS matters<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"1.5_Why_a_LIMS_matters\">1.5 Why a LIMS matters<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Though external pressures to improve operations may have increased, the goals of laboratory work today are much the same as they were in the past: produce high-quality results, with the best productivity possible while keeping initial and ongoing costs to a reasonable level. The goals differ only slightly among the different types of labs:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li><b>Testing<\/b>: Whether supporting research programs or conducting contract-based analytical testing for clients, work efficiently and effectively to produce high-quality and accurate analytical test results while maintaining profitability.<\/li>\n<li><b>Research<\/b>: Develop new products, solve production problems, and solve real-world problems (e.g., curing disease, developing alternative fuels, improving food production, etc.), while ensuring at the same time that analyses and studies are conducted consistently, accurately, and ethically.<\/li>\n<li><b>QA\/QC<\/b>: Support production and manufacturing operations through accurate and timely testing, while promoting higher levels of quality, consumer safety, and consumer satisfaction.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>The goals are typically driven by management and other key stakeholders within the organization. Those same people hopefully recognize that meeting those goals requires more than simply managing the lab's personnel. The lab's success also hinges upon the management of equipment, infrastructure (including power), data, information, and the systems used to produce and manage the products of the lab work: analytical data and information. The previous sections examined the transition from paper-based to electronic lab, and from that examination we begin to see that LIMS and other laboratory informatics solutions are increasingly an important part of the equation for organizational success. This growing informatics architecture is a hierarchical structure with work requests and the needs of regulatory and corporate compliance flowing into it, and produced worklists being distributed to stations when the analysis is completed. The results then flow back into the LIMS, the central hub for this activity. Lab results can be interrogated, analyzed, and distributed as needed (Figure 1).\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Fig1_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"1ae13b1a0a7dcef3d32154c12438426e\"><img alt=\"Fig1 Liscouski JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.limswiki.org\/www.limswiki.org\/images\/d\/d9\/Fig1_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><blockquote><p><b>Figure 1.<\/b> LIMS as the hub of lab data and operations management. All work requests are managed through the LIMS. Those work requests are the basis for worklists sent to instruments, with the results again collected in the LIMS. The LIMS provides a one-stop source for all lab activities, greatly simplifying and improving lab operations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<p>Your organization must be able to support the lab's goals, meet the demands of regulators, and meet your organization's responsibilities for data governance, all while maintaining an economically sound operation. Can that realistically be done without a LIMS supporting your operations? For example, would you run your accounting department without a software system? From that viewpoint, your accounting system's benefits to that department's work are similar in principle to those provided to your lab by a LIMS.\n<\/p><p>This section only touches upon why a LIMS matters to a laboratory and meeting its operational goals. Introducing a LIMS is an opportunity to solve operational management issues, improve productivity, make it easier to meet regulatory requirements and guidelines, turn the lab's data and information into a valuable asset, and meet modern demands for data governance. The next chapter goes into greater detail about the organizational, economic, and practical justifications behind acquiring and deploying a LIMS in your lab, further clarifying why the LIMS should matter to you and your organization, and why the benefits of LIMS far outweigh the costs.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">-----Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Organizational justifications: Why is it important?\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae\">the next chapter<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Citation_information_for_this_chapter\">Citation information for this chapter<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Chapter<\/b>: 1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\n<\/p><p><b>Title<\/b>: <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i>\n<\/p><p><b>Edition<\/b>: First Edition\n<\/p><p><b>Author for citation<\/b>: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\n<\/p><p><b>License for content<\/b>: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International<\/a>\n<\/p><p><b>Publication date<\/b>: July 2023\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152036\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.171 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.213 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 60\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 4557\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 24\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 7\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 0\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 23.741 1 -total\n 51.75% 12.285 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters\n 47.54% 11.286 1 Template:Reflist\n 22.21% 5.272 1 Template:Column-width\n 21.10% 5.009 1 Template:Clear\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14319-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152036 and revision id 52644. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_images":["https:\/\/s3.limswiki.org\/www.limswiki.org\/images\/d\/d9\/Fig1_Liscouski_JustLIMSAcqui23.png"],"55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449_timestamp":1690384836,"3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_type":"article","3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_title":"1.4 LIMS acquisition now","3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now","3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/LIMS acquisition nowFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n1.4 LIMS acquisition now \nToday, laboratories of all kinds face a variety of factors that drive them to become better at managing their operations. The tools for this improvement are available, and regulatory agencies expect labs to use the best technologies to meet regulatory requirements. Although it has been technically possible to meet regulatory requirements without computing technology\u2014using paper-based systems\u2014electronic systems make the work much easier and less costly, while improving the lab\u2019s ability to meet inspectors' requests promptly, as well as the lab's workflows themselves. In the pre-electronic era, paper-based approaches to conducting lab operations were the only option, and these approaches tended to be slow, inefficient, and expensive. This changed in the late 1970s and into the 1980s, as computerized systems held promise in speeding up lab processes and making them more efficient, though they were still expensive to implement. Today, laboratory informatics options are less expensive, while also living up to the promise of improving lab operations. Laboratories produce data and information as their primary product; the ability to put those products to work and gain value from them is paramount. Continuing to use a paper-based system places limitations on that ability while incurring additional hidden and apparent costs to the lab. A LIMS and other informatics solutions make more sense than ever, particularly given stronger economic and competitive pressures.\nRegulatory pressures have also increased as the regulatory landscape has changed. During the mid-1980s, when Mr. Golden's analysis was presented, regulatory requirements were beginning to gain new ground. The EPA and FDA had records retention requirements, and companies were starting to understand the FDA's guidelines, first published in 1978. There were still a lot of open issues; the words were there, but the intent wasn't clear. What did \"validation\" mean? What was the \"first written record\" of a result? The latter point made sense on paper, but what did it mean when applied to computers acquiring data and writing results into memory?\nIn the next few years:\n\nregulatory requirements were produced by OHSA;\nstandards like ISO 9000 were developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO);\nthe EPA\u2019s good laboratory practices (GLP) came into existence; and\nthe International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE) released the Good Automated Manufacturing Practices (GAMP).\nCompanies and their laboratories increasingly had to organize and document their work according to external standards, guidelines, and regulations instead of relying on internally defined business practices. These covered more than experimental records; they extended to personnel and their qualifications, equipment maintenance and calibrations, reagent maintenance and testing, and test method documentation and validation. It created a large amount of clerical and administrative work. In addition, the results of that work had to be produced on-demand. Today, regulatory compliance remains one of the primary reasons for adopting a LIMS.[1]\nAdditionally, the requirements established by regulatory agencies provided the initial thrust for concerns over data governance, including data management, integrity, and utility. When everything was on paper, it was a matter of keeping paper documents well organized. There wasn't much else you could do. Then things changed, bringing with them new responsibilities and opportunities.\nThe integrity, security, and integration of instrument data is also a concern. Most instruments today either contain computing capabilities or are attached to computer systems with data storage, some temporary (e.g., pH meters and scales) and some long-term (e.g., IDSs). The more instruments we have, the more storage devices that hold laboratory results. In some cases, those results only exist on one storage device as long as a power surge doesn\u2019t disrupt that system. Lab personnel probably know where the data they produce is, but that knowledge walks out the door every night. As such, laboratories need a centralized system to track all the data, information, results, calibrations, schedules, documents, etc., that labs produce. A small lab might be able to get by with a paper-based approach until they discover it no longer works, often when data previously believed to be secure becomes lost. Today, that centralized system is a LIMS.\nTable 2 looks at a variety of these technological, regulatory, data governance, and data security issues, comparing what the state of thought was in the 1980s vs. today.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 2. Brief comparison of factors affecting laboratory operations in the 1980s vs. today.\n\n\nFactor\n\n1980s\n\nToday\n\n\nComputing model\n\nComputing was still in the early stages of adoption, and IT support was in its infancy, mostly concerned with corporate issues. Laboratory automation was essentially a few \"islands of automation,\" with little interconnection. Personal computing was also in its infancy, and cloud computing didn't exist.\n\nToday, computing is widespread, and IT support can be found in many organizations large and small. Interconnected systems are just part of the landscape inside and outside the laboratory. Personal computing is ubiquitous at work and home, as is wired and wireless networking. Cloud computing is available through a variety of technologies for executing applications, primary data storage, data backup, access to advanced technologies, etc.\n\n\nRegulatory landscape\n\nRegulations were in the early stages of development, with the EPA and FDA leading with record retention requirements and guidelines. Enforced regulations were just beginning.\n\nRegulations come from a variety of sources, with organizations finding themselves under one or more sets of standards, guidelines, and regulations, including ISO 9000, GAMP, and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).\n\n\nPersonnel\n\nLab personnel were readily available.\n\nThere is a growing shortage of people interested in and available for laboratory work, particularly in the medical realm.[2]\n\n\nData governance\n\nThis concept was in its infancy, mostly in the form of records retention requirements.\n\nData governance has become a significant factor in lab operations and management.[3][4]\n\n\nComputer security\n\nThis wasn't a serious issue, but evidence of problems was developing.\n\nstyle=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\" Computer security is a major consideration in all forms of computing.\n\n\nComputing legal issues\n\nThere wasn't much different from paper-based operations. Anything needed from the lab for legal reasons was largely printed on paper.\n\nLegal issues have grown as material on computers is needed for business efficiency, patent evidence creation, intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance, knowledge management, data governance, and more.\n\n\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 \"Astrix 2020 LIMS Market Research Survey Report\" (PDF). Astrix Technology, LLC. March 2021. https:\/\/astrixinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Astrix-2020-LIMS-Market-Research-Report.pdf . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Halstead, Diane C; Sautter, Robert L (5 January 2023). \"A Literature Review on How We Can Address Medical Laboratory Scientist Staffing Shortages\" (in en). Laboratory Medicine 54 (1): e31\u2013e36. doi:10.1093\/labmed\/lmac090. ISSN 0007-5027. https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/54\/1\/e31\/6712256 .   \n \n\n\u2191 McDowall, R.D. (2017). \"Understanding Data Governance, Part I\". Spectroscopy 32 (2): 32\u201338. https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/understanding-data-governance . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 McDowall, R.D. (2017). \"Understanding Data Governance, Part II\". Spectroscopy 32 (4): 12\u201318. https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/impact-data-governance-laboratory . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:50.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 4 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_LIMS_acquisition_now rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_LIMS_acquisition_now skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/LIMS acquisition now<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"1.4_LIMS_acquisition_now\">1.4 LIMS acquisition now<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Today, laboratories of all kinds face a variety of factors that drive them to become better at managing their operations. The tools for this improvement are available, and regulatory agencies expect labs to use the best technologies to meet regulatory requirements. Although it has been technically possible to meet regulatory requirements without computing technology\u2014using paper-based systems\u2014electronic systems make the work much easier and less costly, while improving the lab\u2019s ability to meet inspectors' requests promptly, as well as the lab's workflows themselves. In the pre-electronic era, paper-based approaches to conducting lab operations were the only option, and these approaches tended to be slow, inefficient, and expensive. This changed in the late 1970s and into the 1980s, as computerized systems held promise in speeding up lab processes and making them more efficient, though they were still expensive to implement. Today, laboratory informatics options are less expensive, while also living up to the promise of improving lab operations. Laboratories produce data and information as their primary product; the ability to put those products to work and gain value from them is paramount. Continuing to use a paper-based system places limitations on that ability while incurring additional hidden and apparent costs to the lab. A LIMS and other informatics solutions make more sense than ever, particularly given stronger economic and competitive pressures.\n<\/p><p>Regulatory pressures have also increased as the regulatory landscape has changed. During the mid-1980s, when Mr. Golden's analysis was presented, regulatory requirements were beginning to gain new ground. The EPA and FDA had records retention requirements, and companies were starting to understand the FDA's guidelines, first published in 1978. There were still a lot of open issues; the words were there, but the intent wasn't clear. What did \"validation\" mean? What was the \"first written record\" of a result? The latter point made sense on paper, but what did it mean when applied to computers acquiring data and writing results into memory?\n<\/p><p>In the next few years:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>regulatory requirements were produced by OHSA;<\/li>\n<li>standards like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/ISO_9000\" title=\"ISO 9000\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"53ace2d12e80a7d890ce881bc6fe244a\">ISO 9000<\/a> were developed by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/International_Organization_for_Standardization\" title=\"International Organization for Standardization\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"116defc5d89c8a55f5b7c1be0790b442\">International Organization for Standardization<\/a> (ISO);<\/li>\n<li>the EPA\u2019s good laboratory practices (GLP) came into existence; and<\/li>\n<li>the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE) released the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Good_Automated_Manufacturing_Practice\" title=\"Good Automated Manufacturing Practice\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"a0f3d9c5bc4e330dbaec137fbe7f5dbb\">Good Automated Manufacturing Practices<\/a> (GAMP).<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Companies and their laboratories increasingly had to organize and document their work according to external standards, guidelines, and regulations instead of relying on internally defined business practices. These covered more than experimental records; they extended to personnel and their qualifications, equipment maintenance and calibrations, reagent maintenance and testing, and test method documentation and validation. It created a large amount of clerical and administrative work. In addition, the results of that work had to be produced on-demand. Today, regulatory compliance remains one of the primary reasons for adopting a LIMS.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-Astrix2020LIMS_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-Astrix2020LIMS-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p><p>Additionally, the requirements established by regulatory agencies provided the initial thrust for concerns over data governance, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Information_management\" title=\"Information management\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"f8672d270c0750a858ed940158ca0a73\">data management<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Data_integrity\" title=\"Data integrity\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"382a9bb77ee3e36bb3b37c79ed813167\">integrity<\/a>, and utility. When everything was on paper, it was a matter of keeping paper documents well organized. There wasn't much else you could do. Then things changed, bringing with them new responsibilities and opportunities.\n<\/p><p>The integrity, security, and integration of instrument data is also a concern. Most instruments today either contain computing capabilities or are attached to computer systems with data storage, some temporary (e.g., and scales) and some long-term (e.g., IDSs). The more instruments we have, the more storage devices that hold laboratory results. In some cases, those results only exist on one storage device as long as a power surge doesn\u2019t disrupt that system. Lab personnel probably know where the data they produce is, but that knowledge walks out the door every night. As such, laboratories need a centralized system to track all the data, information, results, calibrations, schedules, documents, etc., that labs produce. A small lab might be able to get by with a paper-based approach until they discover it no longer works, often when data previously believed to be secure becomes lost. Today, that centralized system is a LIMS.\n<\/p><p>Table 2 looks at a variety of these technological, regulatory, data governance, and data security issues, comparing what the state of thought was in the 1980s vs. today.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 2.<\/b> Brief comparison of factors affecting laboratory operations in the 1980s vs. today.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Factor\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">1980s\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Today\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Computing model<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Computing was still in the early stages of adoption, and IT support was in its infancy, mostly concerned with corporate issues. Laboratory automation was essentially a few \"islands of automation,\" with little interconnection. Personal computing was also in its infancy, and cloud computing didn't exist.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Today, computing is widespread, and IT support can be found in many organizations large and small. Interconnected systems are just part of the landscape inside and outside the laboratory. Personal computing is ubiquitous at work and home, as is wired and wireless networking. Cloud computing is available through a variety of technologies for executing applications, primary data storage, data backup, access to advanced technologies, etc.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Regulatory landscape<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Regulations were in the early stages of development, with the EPA and FDA leading with record retention requirements and guidelines. Enforced regulations were just beginning.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Regulations come from a variety of sources, with organizations finding themselves under one or more sets of standards, guidelines, and regulations, including ISO 9000, GAMP, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Clinical_Laboratory_Improvement_Amendments\" title=\"Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"64bdae1dc17c40c28e0c560396a6ae35\">Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments<\/a> (CLIA).\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Personnel<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Lab personnel were readily available.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">There is a growing shortage of people interested in and available for laboratory work, particularly in the medical realm.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Data governance<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">This concept was in its infancy, mostly in the form of records retention requirements.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Data governance has become a significant factor in lab operations and management.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-McDowallUnderI17_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-McDowallUnderI17-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-McDowallUnderII17_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-McDowallUnderII17-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Computer security<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">This wasn't a serious issue, but evidence of problems was developing.\n<\/td>\n<td>style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\" <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Computer_security\" title=\"Computer security\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"6679e77e1dd923e89b04f0e19ea06240\">Computer security<\/a> is a major consideration in all forms of computing.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Computing legal issues<\/b>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">There wasn't much different from paper-based operations. Anything needed from the lab for legal reasons was largely printed on paper.\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Legal issues have grown as material on computers is needed for business efficiency, patent evidence creation, intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance, knowledge management, data governance, and more.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-Astrix2020LIMS-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-Astrix2020LIMS_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/astrixinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Astrix-2020-LIMS-Market-Research-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\"Astrix 2020 LIMS Market Research Survey Report\"<\/a> (PDF). Astrix Technology, LLC. March 2021<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/astrixinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Astrix-2020-LIMS-Market-Research-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/astrixinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Astrix-2020-LIMS-Market-Research-Report.pdf<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Astrix+2020+LIMS+Market+Research+Survey+Report&rft.atitle=&rft.date=March+2021&rft.pub=Astrix+Technology%2C+LLC&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fastrixinc.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2FAstrix-2020-LIMS-Market-Research-Report.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-2\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Halstead, Diane C; Sautter, Robert L (5 January 2023). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/54\/1\/e31\/6712256\" target=\"_blank\">\"A Literature Review on How We Can Address Medical Laboratory Scientist Staffing Shortages\"<\/a> (in en). <i>Laboratory Medicine<\/i> <b>54<\/b> (1): e31\u2013e36. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1093%2Flabmed%2Flmac090\" target=\"_blank\">10.1093\/labmed\/lmac090<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Serial_Number\" data-key=\"a5dec3e4d005e654c29ad167ab53f53a\">ISSN<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/issn\/0007-5027\" target=\"_blank\">0007-5027<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/54\/1\/e31\/6712256\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/54\/1\/e31\/6712256<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=A+Literature+Review+on+How+We+Can+Address+Medical+Laboratory+Scientist+Staffing+Shortages&rft.jtitle=Laboratory+Medicine&rft.aulast=Halstead&rft.aufirst=Diane+C&rft.au=Halstead%2C%26%2332%3BDiane+C&rft.au=Sautter%2C%26%2332%3BRobert+L&rft.date=5+January+2023&rft.volume=54&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=e31%E2%80%93e36&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1093%2Flabmed%2Flmac090&rft.issn=0007-5027&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Flabmed%2Farticle%2F54%2F1%2Fe31%2F6712256&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-McDowallUnderI17-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-McDowallUnderI17_3-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">McDowall, R.D. (2017). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/understanding-data-governance\" target=\"_blank\">\"Understanding Data Governance, Part I\"<\/a>. <i>Spectroscopy<\/i> <b>32<\/b> (2): 32\u201338<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/understanding-data-governance\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/understanding-data-governance<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Understanding+Data+Governance%2C+Part+I&rft.jtitle=Spectroscopy&rft.aulast=McDowall%2C+R.D.&rft.au=McDowall%2C+R.D.&rft.date=2017&rft.volume=32&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=32%E2%80%9338&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.spectroscopyonline.com%2Fview%2Funderstanding-data-governance&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-McDowallUnderII17-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-McDowallUnderII17_4-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">McDowall, R.D. (2017). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/impact-data-governance-laboratory\" target=\"_blank\">\"Understanding Data Governance, Part II\"<\/a>. <i>Spectroscopy<\/i> <b>32<\/b> (4): 12\u201318<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/impact-data-governance-laboratory\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.spectroscopyonline.com\/view\/impact-data-governance-laboratory<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Understanding+Data+Governance%2C+Part+II&rft.jtitle=Spectroscopy&rft.aulast=McDowall%2C+R.D.&rft.au=McDowall%2C+R.D.&rft.date=2017&rft.volume=32&rft.issue=4&rft.pages=12%E2%80%9318&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.spectroscopyonline.com%2Fview%2Fimpact-data-governance-laboratory&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152036\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.131 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.163 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 3021\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 31505\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 6744\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 18\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 7441\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 142.147 1 -total\n 90.50% 128.644 1 Template:Reflist\n 63.58% 90.371 4 Template:Citation\/core\n 44.60% 63.398 3 Template:Cite_journal\n 32.04% 45.543 1 Template:Cite_web\n 15.43% 21.940 2 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 11.81% 16.786 2 Template:Date\n 9.39% 13.352 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\n 5.59% 7.945 4 Template:Citation\/make_link\n 4.42% 6.280 4 Template:Hide_in_print\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14318-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152036 and revision id 52643. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_images":[],"3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee_timestamp":1690384836,"dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_type":"article","dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_title":"1.3 LIMS acquisition then","dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then","dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/LIMS acquisition thenFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n1.3 LIMS acquisition then \nThe laboratory environment of the 1980s, viewed from a behavioral standpoint, would be easily recognizable today: growing test workloads, everyone\u2019s sample was a top priority, and everyone was very busy as all work was manually done. From a technology perspective, things were a lot different. For the most part, there were no computers, and instrument data systems (IDSs) were entering the marketplace. Still, IDSs hadn't become the almost automatic combined instrument-computer combination they are today. Networks were in their early stage of development. Robotics was also in an earlier part of its evolution; Zymark Corporation of Hokinton, Massachusetts (which later became Caliper Life Sciences), was an early developer of lab robotics, which was just beginning to impact the laboratory market. Additionally, there was no severe shortage of educated laboratory personnel to fill open lab positions. However, few were knowledgeable in laboratory informatics.\nThe cost of lab operations was becoming a serious concern for lab management. Although people were available, there was a limit to how many you could hire, given the limitations of laboratory space and equipment utilization. As a result, economics played a significant role in the justification for equipment and instrumentation, in general, and LIMS, a new technology, in particular. One of the significant differences between then and today is that installing a LIMS meant installing a local computer system; cloud-based systems didn't exist.\nAs the productivity issue became more acute, the interest in automation and the efficiency of lab operations grew. In clinical chemistry work, the response was particularly strong with the\ndevelopment of an industry-wide total laboratory automation (TLA) initiative that focused on driving down the cost of laboratory testing through automation and the development of communications standards to make it easier to connect instruments and computers together into fully functioning networks, which would relieve much of the manual clerical effort.\nMuch of the information we have on the effectiveness of laboratory automation and LIMS installations comes from the life science and clinical industries. The results of TLA could be seen in 1992, when Markin and Hald noted[1]:\n\nThe tangible [financial] benefits which were measured prior to LIS justification totaled $153,471.84 per year based upon fiscal year 1985-86 dollars. The objective re-evaluation of these activities four years after implementation and operation resulted in a measured $115,326.93 per year savings ... Implementation of the laboratory information system at our institution resulted in a 75% capture of the estimated\/projected cost avoidance or cost savings.\nIn a more modern example from 2018, Yu et al., who wishing to improve workflow efficiency in their clinical laboratory, implemented TLA \"that connected our pre-analytic processing system with various testing (hematology, coagulation, and chemistry).\"[2] They reported their results as such[2]:\n\nThe implementation of our TLA system resulted in 86% fewer discrete processing steps in specimen handling, even when starting from a partially automated laboratory. Instrument consolidation reduced the testing footprint by 45% and reduced the number of testing personnel by 2.5 full-time employees (FTEs). An 82% reduction in hands-on time associated with add-on processes was achieved. Combining STAT and outreach work on the testing system did not impact turnaround time.\nOutside of TLA, lacking other driving factors, the primary motivation for implementing automation and LIMS or LIS in the lab early on was productivity and, as a result, finances. A 1986 article by Joseph H. Golden (then at Laboratory Management Systems, Inc.), titled \u201cEconomic Considerations of Laboratory Information Management Systems,\u201d addressed that point directly. Considerations and concerns he had included (quoting directly)[3]:\n\nthe \"impact on lab operations, reducing administrative work [and] speeding up work\";\n\"how the laboratory contributes to the corporate bottom line\";\nthe \"need to consider not just what LIMS will do but what it\u2019s worth\";\nin regards to R&D, that \"productivity improvements amount to at least 10% to 20% of the total staff resources of a laboratory complex\u201d;\nin regards to QA\/QC, that \"time-value of information\" and \"ability to accept\/reject raw material and avoid off-spec products\" is considered, \"plus 10-20% saving on clerical costs\";\nthat commercial testing saw \"improved profitability\";\nthe consideration of \"common lab management problems,\" such as \"increasing data volume from increased use of smart instruments and from increased testing and record retention requirements imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and other regulatory agencies; constantly rising operating and material costs; and ever-tightening constraints on staff and material expenditures, which in turn are \"manifested by increasingly burdensome paperwork, inefficient utilization of resources, and exasperating searches for misplaced samples and data\"; and\nthe costs of \"equipment, facilities, cost of money, and investment tax credits.\"\nThe justification for LIMS acquisition in the 1980s was based on comparing two states: the status quo vs. the introduction of laboratory informatics in the form of an on-premises LIMS. Among the more significant management concerns were whether the costs could be contained and the project kept on track. Large software projects were notorious for cost overruns and scheduling delays during that time. However, demand for improved processes in labs was also increasing, particularly in regulated settings like the pharmaceutical industry. Failure to keep accurate records, and be able to find them, could result in plant closures, and that alone could justify the acquisition for a LIMS.\nTable 1 compares concessions and considerations made in the 1980s of maintaining existing lab operations vs. acquiring and implementing an on-premises LIMS.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTable 1. Comparison of maintaining existing lab operations vs. on-premises LIMS acquisition and deployment in the 1980s.\n\n\nStatus quo\n\nLIMS acquisition\n\n\n\u2022 Survive with inefficient operations\r\n\u2022 Divert resources for conducting the required clerical work\r\n\u2022 Resign to not gaining maximum value from data because of the prohibitive cost of doing the work\r\n\u2022 Live with inefficiently organized data and information management due to everything being on paper\r\n\u2022 Handle the greater difficulties of meeting government and industry records retention requirements\r\n\u2022 Manage the rising costs of work and diminished lab productivity due to space, equipment, and hiring constraints\r\n\u2022 Live with the potential for lab management and personnel to be frustrated with existing operations and need for overtime to get work completed\n\n\u2022 Improve efficiency of lab operations with potential 10 to 20% improvement in productivity\r\n\u2022 Reduce the need to hire more people (in the 1980s, people were readily available)\r\n\u2022 Absorb the associated costs of LIMS licensing, training, installation, configuration, hardware, and maintenance and support\r\n\u2022 Offset the LIMS costs through investment tax credits, accelerated depreciation rate, and deductible interest rate payments\n\n\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 Markin, Rodney S.; Hald, David L. (1 December 1992). \"Cost justification of a laboratory information system: An analysis of projected tangible and intangible benefits\" (in en). Journal of Medical Systems 16 (6): 281\u2013295. doi:10.1007\/BF00996362. ISSN 0148-5598. http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362 .   \n \n\n\u2191 2.0 2.1 Yu, Hoi-Ying Elsie; Lanzoni, Harold; Steffen, Tracy; Derr, Warren; Cannon, Kim; Contreras, Jeanene; Olson, Jordan Erik (1 January 2019). \"Improving Laboratory Processes with Total Laboratory Automation\" (in en). Laboratory Medicine 50 (1): 96\u2013102. doi:10.1093\/labmed\/lmy031. ISSN 0007-5027. https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/50\/1\/96\/5047095 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Golden, J.H. (1986). \"Chapter 2: Economic Considerations of Laboratory Information Management Systems\". In Provder, Theodore (in en). Computer Applications in the Polymer Laboratory. ACS Symposium Series. 313. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. pp. 6\u201316. doi:10.1021\/bk-1986-0313.ch002. ISBN 978-0-8412-0977-0. https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:49.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 5 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_LIMS_acquisition_then rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_LIMS_acquisition_then skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/LIMS acquisition then<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"1.3_LIMS_acquisition_then\">1.3 LIMS acquisition then<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The laboratory environment of the 1980s, viewed from a behavioral standpoint, would be easily recognizable today: growing test workloads, everyone\u2019s sample was a top priority, and everyone was very busy as all work was manually done. From a technology perspective, things were a lot different. For the most part, there were no computers, and instrument data systems (IDSs) were entering the marketplace. Still, IDSs hadn't become the almost automatic combined instrument-computer combination they are today. Networks were in their early stage of development. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_automation\" title=\"Laboratory automation\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"0061880849aeaca05f8aa27ae171f331\">Robotics<\/a> was also in an earlier part of its evolution; Zymark Corporation of Hokinton, Massachusetts (which later became Caliper Life Sciences), was an early developer of lab robotics, which was just beginning to impact the laboratory market. Additionally, there was no severe shortage of educated laboratory personnel to fill open lab positions. However, few were knowledgeable in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_informatics\" title=\"Laboratory informatics\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"00edfa43edcde538a695f6d429280301\">laboratory informatics<\/a>.\n<\/p><p>The cost of lab operations was becoming a serious concern for lab management. Although people were available, there was a limit to how many you could hire, given the limitations of laboratory space and equipment utilization. As a result, economics played a significant role in the justification for equipment and instrumentation, in general, and LIMS, a new technology, in particular. One of the significant differences between then and today is that installing a LIMS meant installing a local computer system; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Cloud_computing\" title=\"Cloud computing\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"fcfe5882eaa018d920cedb88398b604f\">cloud-based<\/a> systems didn't exist.\n<\/p><p>As the productivity issue became more acute, the interest in automation and the efficiency of lab operations grew. In clinical chemistry work, the response was particularly strong with the\ndevelopment of an industry-wide total laboratory automation (TLA) initiative that focused on driving down the cost of laboratory testing through automation and the development of communications standards to make it easier to connect instruments and computers together into fully functioning networks, which would relieve much of the manual clerical effort.\n<\/p><p>Much of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Information\" title=\"Information\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"6300a14d9c2776dcca0999b5ed940e7d\">information<\/a> we have on the effectiveness of laboratory automation and LIMS installations comes from the life science and clinical industries. The results of TLA could be seen in 1992, when Markin and Hald noted<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The tangible [financial] benefits which were measured prior to LIS justification totaled $153,471.84 per year based upon fiscal year 1985-86 dollars. The objective re-evaluation of these activities four years after implementation and operation resulted in a measured $115,326.93 per year savings ... Implementation of the laboratory information system at our institution resulted in a 75% capture of the estimated\/projected cost avoidance or cost savings.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In a more modern example from 2018, Yu <i>et al.<\/i>, who wishing to improve workflow efficiency in their clinical laboratory, implemented TLA \"that connected our pre-analytic processing system with various testing (hematology, coagulation, and chemistry).\"<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:0_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:0-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup> They reported their results as such<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-:0_2-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-:0-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The implementation of our TLA system resulted in 86% fewer discrete processing steps in specimen handling, even when starting from a partially automated laboratory. Instrument consolidation reduced the testing footprint by 45% and reduced the number of testing personnel by 2.5 full-time employees (FTEs). An 82% reduction in hands-on time associated with add-on processes was achieved. Combining STAT and outreach work on the testing system did not impact turnaround time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Outside of TLA, lacking other driving factors, the primary motivation for implementing automation and LIMS or LIS in the lab early on was productivity and, as a result, finances. A 1986 article by Joseph H. Golden (then at Laboratory Management Systems, Inc.), titled \u201cEconomic Considerations of Laboratory Information Management Systems,\u201d addressed that point directly. Considerations and concerns he had included (quoting directly)<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-GoldenEcon86_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-GoldenEcon86-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>the \"impact on lab operations, reducing administrative work [and] speeding up work\";<\/li>\n<li>\"how the laboratory contributes to the corporate bottom line\";<\/li>\n<li>the \"need to consider not just what LIMS will do but what it\u2019s worth\";<\/li>\n<li>in regards to R&D, that \"productivity improvements amount to at least 10% to 20% of the total staff resources of a laboratory complex\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>in regards to QA\/QC, that \"time-value of information\" and \"ability to accept\/reject raw material and avoid off-spec products\" is considered, \"plus 10-20% saving on clerical costs\";<\/li>\n<li>that commercial testing saw \"improved profitability\";<\/li>\n<li>the consideration of \"common lab management problems,\" such as \"increasing data volume from increased use of smart instruments and from increased testing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Retention_period\" title=\"Retention period\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"c86c284ee804b9cc2dc5743b9e706120\">record retention<\/a> requirements imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Food_and_Drug_Administration\" title=\"Food and Drug Administration\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"e2be8927071ac419c0929f7aa1ede7fe\">Food and Drug Administration<\/a> (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and other regulatory agencies; constantly rising operating and material costs; and ever-tightening constraints on staff and material expenditures, which in turn are \"manifested by increasingly burdensome paperwork, inefficient utilization of resources, and exasperating searches for misplaced samples and data\"; and<\/li>\n<li>the costs of \"equipment, facilities, cost of money, and investment tax credits.\"<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>The justification for LIMS acquisition in the 1980s was based on comparing two states: the status quo vs. the introduction of laboratory informatics in the form of an on-premises LIMS. Among the more significant management concerns were whether the costs could be contained and the project kept on track. Large software projects were notorious for cost overruns and scheduling delays during that time. However, demand for improved processes in labs was also increasing, particularly in regulated settings like the pharmaceutical industry. Failure to keep accurate records, and be able to find them, could result in plant closures, and that alone could justify the acquisition for a LIMS.\n<\/p><p>Table 1 compares concessions and considerations made in the 1980s of maintaining existing lab operations vs. acquiring and implementing an on-premises LIMS.\n<\/p>\n<table style=\"\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align:top;\">\n<table class=\"wikitable\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"5\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"\">\n\n<tbody><tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\" style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\"><b>Table 1.<\/b> Comparison of maintaining existing lab operations vs. on-premises LIMS acquisition and deployment in the 1980s.\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">Status quo\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color:#e2e2e2; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">LIMS acquisition\n<\/th><\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\u2022 Survive with inefficient operations<br \/>\u2022 Divert resources for conducting the required clerical work<br \/>\u2022 Resign to not gaining maximum value from data because of the prohibitive cost of doing the work<br \/>\u2022 Live with inefficiently organized data and information management due to everything being on paper<br \/>\u2022 Handle the greater difficulties of meeting government and industry records retention requirements<br \/>\u2022 Manage the rising costs of work and diminished lab productivity due to space, equipment, and hiring constraints<br \/>\u2022 Live with the potential for lab management and personnel to be frustrated with existing operations and need for overtime to get work completed\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"background-color:white; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;\">\u2022 Improve efficiency of lab operations with potential 10 to 20% improvement in productivity<br \/>\u2022 Reduce the need to hire more people (in the 1980s, people were readily available)<br \/>\u2022 Absorb the associated costs of LIMS licensing, training, installation, configuration, hardware, and maintenance and support<br \/>\u2022 Offset the LIMS costs through investment tax credits, accelerated depreciation rate, and deductible interest rate payments\n<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-1\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Markin, Rodney S.; Hald, David L. (1 December 1992). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362\" target=\"_blank\">\"Cost justification of a laboratory information system: An analysis of projected tangible and intangible benefits\"<\/a> (in en). <i>Journal of Medical Systems<\/i> <b>16<\/b> (6): 281\u2013295. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1007%2FBF00996362\" target=\"_blank\">10.1007\/BF00996362<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Serial_Number\" data-key=\"a5dec3e4d005e654c29ad167ab53f53a\">ISSN<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/issn\/0148-5598\" target=\"_blank\">0148-5598<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/BF00996362<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Cost+justification+of+a+laboratory+information+system%3A+An+analysis+of+projected+tangible+and+intangible+benefits&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Medical+Systems&rft.aulast=Markin&rft.aufirst=Rodney+S.&rft.au=Markin%2C%26%2332%3BRodney+S.&rft.au=Hald%2C%26%2332%3BDavid+L.&rft.date=1+December+1992&rft.volume=16&rft.issue=6&rft.pages=281%E2%80%93295&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1007%2FBF00996362&rft.issn=0148-5598&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2F10.1007%2FBF00996362&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-:0-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\">\u2191 <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-:0_2-0\">2.0<\/a><\/sup> <sup><a href=\"#cite_ref-:0_2-1\">2.1<\/a><\/sup><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Yu, Hoi-Ying Elsie; Lanzoni, Harold; Steffen, Tracy; Derr, Warren; Cannon, Kim; Contreras, Jeanene; Olson, Jordan Erik (1 January 2019). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/50\/1\/96\/5047095\" target=\"_blank\">\"Improving Laboratory Processes with Total Laboratory Automation\"<\/a> (in en). <i>Laboratory Medicine<\/i> <b>50<\/b> (1): 96\u2013102. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1093%2Flabmed%2Flmy031\" target=\"_blank\">10.1093\/labmed\/lmy031<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Serial_Number\" data-key=\"a5dec3e4d005e654c29ad167ab53f53a\">ISSN<\/a> <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/issn\/0007-5027\" target=\"_blank\">0007-5027<\/a><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/50\/1\/96\/5047095\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/labmed\/article\/50\/1\/96\/5047095<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Improving+Laboratory+Processes+with+Total+Laboratory+Automation&rft.jtitle=Laboratory+Medicine&rft.aulast=Yu&rft.aufirst=Hoi-Ying+Elsie&rft.au=Yu%2C%26%2332%3BHoi-Ying+Elsie&rft.au=Lanzoni%2C%26%2332%3BHarold&rft.au=Steffen%2C%26%2332%3BTracy&rft.au=Derr%2C%26%2332%3BWarren&rft.au=Cannon%2C%26%2332%3BKim&rft.au=Contreras%2C%26%2332%3BJeanene&rft.au=Olson%2C%26%2332%3BJordan+Erik&rft.date=1+January+2019&rft.volume=50&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=96%E2%80%93102&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1093%2Flabmed%2Flmy031&rft.issn=0007-5027&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Flabmed%2Farticle%2F50%2F1%2F96%2F5047095&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-GoldenEcon86-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-GoldenEcon86_3-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation book\">Golden, J.H. (1986). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313\" target=\"_blank\">\"Chapter 2: Economic Considerations of Laboratory Information Management Systems\"<\/a>. In Provder, Theodore (in en). <i>Computer Applications in the Polymer Laboratory<\/i>. ACS Symposium Series. <b>313<\/b>. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. pp. 6\u201316. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1021%2Fbk-1986-0313.ch002\" target=\"_blank\">10.1021\/bk-1986-0313.ch002<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Standard_Book_Number\" data-key=\"f64947ba21e884434bd70e8d9e60bae6\">ISBN<\/a> 978-0-8412-0977-0<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/book\/10.1021\/bk-1986-0313<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Chapter+2%3A+Economic+Considerations+of+Laboratory+Information+Management+Systems&rft.atitle=Computer+Applications+in+the+Polymer+Laboratory&rft.aulast=Golden%2C+J.H.&rft.au=Golden%2C+J.H.&rft.date=1986&rft.series=ACS+Symposium+Series&rft.volume=313&rft.pages=pp.%26nbsp%3B6%E2%80%9316&rft.place=Washington%2C+DC&rft.pub=American+Chemical+Society&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1021%2Fbk-1986-0313.ch002&rft.isbn=978-0-8412-0977-0&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpubs.acs.org%2Fdoi%2Fbook%2F10.1021%2Fbk-1986-0313&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152036\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.141 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.177 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 2932\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 35326\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 8101\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 23\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 7830\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 162.393 1 -total\n 88.05% 142.988 1 Template:Reflist\n 58.01% 94.211 3 Template:Citation\/core\n 57.37% 93.166 2 Template:Cite_journal\n 16.21% 26.328 6 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 14.26% 23.163 1 Template:Cite_book\n 11.84% 19.234 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then\n 9.78% 15.875 2 Template:Date\n 5.43% 8.819 4 Template:Citation\/make_link\n 4.75% 7.712 12 Template:Hide_in_print\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14317-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152035 and revision id 52642. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_images":[],"dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53_timestamp":1690384835,"a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_type":"article","a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_title":"1.2 What are the alternatives to a LIMS?","a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F","a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/What are the alternatives to a LIMS?From LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n 1.2 What are the alternatives to a LIMS? \nIntroducing new technologies and products often causes people to balk because they represent a change to current operations and an expense, even if the change is beneficial. As such, some may view the acquisition, deployment, use, and maintenance of a LIMS to be too daunting. The organization may even see the value in a LIMS yet ask several questions in regards to its necessity:\n\nWhat happens if we don\u2019t make the change to a LIMS?\nIs there an alternative technology that is less costly?\nThe answer to the first question is straightforward: lab costs increase, operations stagnate, sample backlogs increase, and lab personnel\u2014including management\u2014become increasingly frustrated. This in turn means the lab may fail to achieve its goals. That second question is politically charged, however, particularly in medium to larger organizations. There are two frequently encountered answers, both involving internal software development: let's use a spreadsheet, or let's use an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, with similar characteristics to a LIMS, as a solution. The latter often occurs if a company has recently invested in an ERP solution with the idea that it will take care of all of the company\u2019s needs (i.e., they may not have checked with its labs to see if actually will). \nBefore we get into a response to that second question, here's a question for you. What business is your company in? Is it a software development organization, or does it want to become one? This is an important question because someone in the organization inevitably proposes custom software development as an alternative. Suppose you are seriously considering developing a LIMS alternative in-house or through a consulting firm. In that case, that is something you have to think through, taking on all the issues that plague large software development projects, including ongoing maintenance and support once the project is completed.\nSoftware development projects are fraught with issues. Reasons for software project failure include[1][2][3]:\n\ninsufficient organizational leadership;\ninsufficient understanding of business and department problems and requirements, even as they evolve during development;\ninadequate planning and project management;\nundefined project roles and responsibilities;\ninaccurate time and cost projections;\ninadequate use of available resources;\ninsufficient understanding of changing software development practices;\npoor or mismanaged communication methods;\npoor response to project challenges that inevitably arise;\nlack of focus on project success;\nlack of focus on soft skills such as training and team building; and\nscope creep.\nThe bottom line is this: software projects develop issues, and while they may eventually succeed, they may take a year or more to work through during development. Meanwhile, your lab is suffering under whatever issues caused you to look for a LIMS in the first place. When you're done with developing the solution, will you have something better than commercial products or just the best you can settle for? Commercial products will be continually improved with new features and capabilities added; that's their business. Do you have the resources and commitment to make it yours?\nWe find that software development approaches have their own issues to address, but what about spreadsheets and ERP systems? Spreadsheet-based systems, while seemingly inexpensive, are costly in development time and use. Additionally, spreadsheets are single-user-at-a-time systems. Everyone else has to wait their turn if someone is working with the system. They are fraught with errors creeping in, especially through changes that may not be documented. They are also difficult to validate and keep under modification control. Those factors are red flags to regulatory inspectors, particularly regarding development documentation.[4] As for ERPs, those systems may address some of the requirements of your lab, but they will have significant problems with instrument connections, a significant source of productivity gains in the laboratory. Do these and similar alternatives represent the most cost-effective way to manage risk and utilize your resources towards the goal of improving laboratory productivity and compliance? The purpose-built LIMS may make more sense given the challenges posed by forcibly shoehorning these alternatives into a role they weren't necessarily designed for.\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 \"5 reasons why software projects fail and how to make them succeed\". DAC.digital Blog. DAC.digital. 19 April 2022. https:\/\/dac.digital\/why-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-make-them-succeed\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Singh, S. (15 June 2022). \"23 Reasons Why Software Projects Fail (with Solutions)\". Net Solutions Insights. Net Solutions. https:\/\/www.netsolutions.com\/insights\/23-reasons-why-software-projects-fail-with-solutions\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Forbes Technology Council (31 March 2020). \"14 Common Reasons Software Projects Fail (And How To Avoid Them)\". Forbes. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestechcouncil\/2020\/03\/31\/14-common-reasons-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-avoid-them\/amp\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Liscouski, J. (April 2023). \"Improving Lab Systems: From Paper to Spreadsheets to LIMS\". LabLynx, Inc. https:\/\/www.lablynx.com\/library\/articles\/improving-lab-systems-from-paper-to-spreadsheets-to-lims\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:49.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 6 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/What are the alternatives to a LIMS?<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h3><span id=\"rdp-ebb-1.2_What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"1.2_What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS.3F\">1.2 What are the alternatives to a LIMS?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Introducing new technologies and products often causes people to balk because they represent a change to current operations and an expense, even if the change is beneficial. As such, some may view the acquisition, deployment, use, and maintenance of a LIMS to be too daunting. The organization may even see the value in a LIMS yet ask several questions in regards to its necessity:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>What happens if we don\u2019t make the change to a LIMS?<\/li>\n<li>Is there an alternative technology that is less costly?<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>The answer to the first question is straightforward: lab costs increase, operations stagnate, sample backlogs increase, and lab personnel\u2014including management\u2014become increasingly frustrated. This in turn means the lab may fail to achieve its goals. That second question is politically charged, however, particularly in medium to larger organizations. There are two frequently encountered answers, both involving internal software development: let's use a spreadsheet, or let's use an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Enterprise_resource_planning\" title=\"Enterprise resource planning\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"07be791b94a208f794e38224f0c0950b\">enterprise resource planning<\/a> (ERP) system, with similar characteristics to a LIMS, as a solution. The latter often occurs if a company has recently invested in an ERP solution with the idea that it will take care of all of the company\u2019s needs (i.e., they may not have checked with its labs to see if actually will). \n<\/p><p>Before we get into a response to that second question, here's a question for you. What business is your company in? Is it a software development organization, or does it want to become one? This is an important question because someone in the organization inevitably proposes custom software development as an alternative. Suppose you are seriously considering developing a LIMS alternative in-house or through a consulting firm. In that case, that is something you have to think through, taking on all the issues that plague large software development projects, including ongoing maintenance and support once the project is completed.\n<\/p><p>Software development projects are fraught with issues. Reasons for software project failure include<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-DACD5Reasons22_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-DACD5Reasons22-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-Singh23Reas22_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-Singh23Reas22-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-Forbes14Comm20_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-Forbes14Comm20-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>insufficient organizational leadership;<\/li>\n<li>insufficient understanding of business and department problems and requirements, even as they evolve during development;<\/li>\n<li>inadequate planning and project management;<\/li>\n<li>undefined project roles and responsibilities;<\/li>\n<li>inaccurate time and cost projections;<\/li>\n<li>inadequate use of available resources;<\/li>\n<li>insufficient understanding of changing software development practices;<\/li>\n<li>poor or mismanaged communication methods;<\/li>\n<li>poor response to project challenges that inevitably arise;<\/li>\n<li>lack of focus on project success;<\/li>\n<li>lack of focus on soft skills such as training and team building; and<\/li>\n<li>scope creep.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>The bottom line is this: software projects develop issues, and while they may eventually succeed, they may take a year or more to work through during development. Meanwhile, your lab is suffering under whatever issues caused you to look for a LIMS in the first place. When you're done with developing the solution, will you have something better than commercial products or just the best you can settle for? Commercial products will be continually improved with new features and capabilities added; that's their business. Do you have the resources and commitment to make it yours?\n<\/p><p>We find that software development approaches have their own issues to address, but what about spreadsheets and ERP systems? Spreadsheet-based systems, while seemingly inexpensive, are costly in development time and use. Additionally, spreadsheets are single-user-at-a-time systems. Everyone else has to wait their turn if someone is working with the system. They are fraught with errors creeping in, especially through changes that may not be documented. They are also difficult to validate and keep under modification control. Those factors are red flags to regulatory inspectors, particularly regarding development documentation.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-LiscouskiImproving23_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-LiscouskiImproving23-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup> As for ERPs, those systems may address some of the requirements of your lab, but they will have significant problems with instrument connections, a significant source of productivity gains in the laboratory. Do these and similar alternatives represent the most cost-effective way to manage risk and utilize your resources towards the goal of improving laboratory productivity and compliance? The purpose-built LIMS may make more sense given the challenges posed by forcibly shoehorning these alternatives into a role they weren't necessarily designed for.\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-DACD5Reasons22-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-DACD5Reasons22_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\"><a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/dac.digital\/why-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-make-them-succeed\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"5 reasons why software projects fail and how to make them succeed\"<\/a>. <i>DAC.digital Blog<\/i>. DAC.digital. 19 April 2022<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/dac.digital\/why-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-make-them-succeed\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/dac.digital\/why-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-make-them-succeed\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=5+reasons+why+software+projects+fail+and+how+to+make+them+succeed&rft.atitle=DAC.digital+Blog&rft.date=19+April+2022&rft.pub=DAC.digital&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fdac.digital%2Fwhy-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-make-them-succeed%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-Singh23Reas22-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-Singh23Reas22_2-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Singh, S. (15 June 2022). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.netsolutions.com\/insights\/23-reasons-why-software-projects-fail-with-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"23 Reasons Why Software Projects Fail (with Solutions)\"<\/a>. <i>Net Solutions Insights<\/i>. Net Solutions<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.netsolutions.com\/insights\/23-reasons-why-software-projects-fail-with-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.netsolutions.com\/insights\/23-reasons-why-software-projects-fail-with-solutions\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=23+Reasons+Why+Software+Projects+Fail+%28with+Solutions%29&rft.atitle=Net+Solutions+Insights&rft.aulast=Singh%2C+S.&rft.au=Singh%2C+S.&rft.date=15+June+2022&rft.pub=Net+Solutions&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netsolutions.com%2Finsights%2F23-reasons-why-software-projects-fail-with-solutions%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-Forbes14Comm20-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-Forbes14Comm20_3-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Forbes Technology Council (31 March 2020). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestechcouncil\/2020\/03\/31\/14-common-reasons-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-avoid-them\/amp\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"14 Common Reasons Software Projects Fail (And How To Avoid Them)\"<\/a>. Forbes<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestechcouncil\/2020\/03\/31\/14-common-reasons-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-avoid-them\/amp\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestechcouncil\/2020\/03\/31\/14-common-reasons-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-avoid-them\/amp\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=14+Common+Reasons+Software+Projects+Fail+%28And+How+To+Avoid+Them%29&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Forbes+Technology+Council&rft.au=Forbes+Technology+Council&rft.date=31+March+2020&rft.pub=Forbes&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Fforbestechcouncil%2F2020%2F03%2F31%2F14-common-reasons-software-projects-fail-and-how-to-avoid-them%2Famp%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-LiscouskiImproving23-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-LiscouskiImproving23_4-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Liscouski, J. (April 2023). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lablynx.com\/library\/articles\/improving-lab-systems-from-paper-to-spreadsheets-to-lims\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"Improving Lab Systems: From Paper to Spreadsheets to LIMS\"<\/a>. LabLynx, Inc<span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lablynx.com\/library\/articles\/improving-lab-systems-from-paper-to-spreadsheets-to-lims\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.lablynx.com\/library\/articles\/improving-lab-systems-from-paper-to-spreadsheets-to-lims\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Improving+Lab+Systems%3A+From+Paper+to+Spreadsheets+to+LIMS&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Liscouski%2C+J.&rft.au=Liscouski%2C+J.&rft.date=April+2023&rft.pub=LabLynx%2C+Inc&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lablynx.com%2Flibrary%2Farticles%2Fimproving-lab-systems-from-paper-to-spreadsheets-to-lims%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152035\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.141 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.163 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 2900\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 26012\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 8227\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 18\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 6821\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 149.914 1 -total\n 91.15% 136.650 1 Template:Reflist\n 69.46% 104.133 4 Template:Cite_web\n 55.20% 82.748 4 Template:Citation\/core\n 16.99% 25.475 4 Template:Date\n 8.72% 13.068 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS?\n 6.96% 10.436 6 Template:Citation\/make_link\n 3.59% 5.388 1 Template:Column-width\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14316-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152035 and revision id 52641. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_images":[],"a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f_timestamp":1690384835,"8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_type":"article","8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_title":"1.1 What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?","8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F","8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?From LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search-----Return to the beginning of this guide-----\n1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment \nYour laboratory was created to carry out specific tasks that its parent organization needed to meet its business goals. The lab's biggest output is analytical results of tests it conducts, and it's imperative those analytical results are accurate, timely, and unaltered. Today, labs more than ever depend on a laboratory information management system (LIMS) to better meet those requirements. But justifying the benefits over the costs can be a challenge, particularly when upper management or critical stakeholders aren't keen on increasing spend, let alone aren't always well-informed about what LIMS can actually do for the lab.\nThe point of this guide is to give you the background you need to better make a case to your organization's management and key stakeholders for acquiring and deploying a LIMS. While pursuing this topic, we're going to make a couple of simple assumptions. We'll assume that your organization's senior management may not understand what goes on in your lab and how it carries out its work. We'll also assume they have a lot of things to contend with in their roles, giving them limited time to fully understand your lab's needs and the tools required to help it succeed. You want to make the explanation and justification for LIMS acquisition and deployment as easy and succinct as possible while at the same time demonstrating that this is the right decision.\nThe justification process for LIMS has a long history, and a lot has changed since the 1980s, when the technology was first introduced. Therefore, we need to examine what a LIMS is; what alternatives people commonly turn to; how the technology has evolved; what the history of LIMS justification is; what organizational, economic, and practical considerations surround LIMS adoption; how to develop a LIMS project proposal; and how to address any concerns management may raise during the justification process. This guide will attempt to address these things and more. First, however, we need to look at what LIMS is, what alternatives exist, and what the acquisition process looks like then and now. We'll also begin to address why a LIMS matters to today's laboratory in this chapter, with further points of justification coming later.\n\r\n\n\n 1.1 What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)? \nA LIMS is a specialized, software-based information management solution that offers a set of key features that support a modern laboratory's operations. Introduced in the late 1970s and early 1980s[1], the design and functionality of this software has changed significantly over the years, such that today a majority of a laboratory's processes can benefit from the LIMS' implementation and use. A LIMS has functionality that addresses most of the workflow phases of a laboratory, including[2]:\n\nthe reception and log in of a sample and its associated customer data;\nthe assignment, scheduling, and tracking of the sample and the associated analytical workload;\nthe processing and quality control (QC) associated with the sample and the utilized equipment and inventory;\nthe storage and access management of data associated with the sample analysis; and\nthe inspection, approval, and compilation of the sample data for reporting and\/or further analysis.\nRelated is the laboratory information system (LIS), which is tailored to the workflow of a clinical laboratory. That said, the distinction between the LIMS and LIS has blurred over time, with some LIMS having the same clinical information management features of an LIS. In both cases, the software\u2014when developed, implemented, and maintained well\u2014can improve laboratory workflows and workloads while enhancing safety, quality, and compliance. A well-implemented LIMS can reduce the silos of information and data in a laboratory, while at the same time make that information and data more secure, readily accessible, and actionable. Additionally, many modern LIMS are able to be pre-configured out of the box with analytical and QC workflow support tools that can be further optimized to a lab's unique industry-based workflow. When integrated with instruments and other software systems, fewer transcription errors occur and traceability becomes easier, while monitoring of supply chain issues, QC data, instrument use, and more is further enabled, particularly when paired with configurable dashboards and alert mechanisms. This also means that the lab can react more rapidly to issues that compromise compliance with certification to the ISO\/IEC 17025 standard, as is necessary in, for example, the food and beverage industry.[3][4][5]\n\nReferences \n\n\n\u2191 Gibbon, G.A. (1996). \"A brief history of LIMS\". Laboratory Automation and Information Management 32 (1): 1\u20135. doi:10.1016\/1381-141X(95)00024-K.   \n \n\n\u2191 Skobelev, D.O.; Zaytseva, T.M.; Kozlov, A.D. et al. (2011). \"Laboratory information management systems in the work of the analytic laboratory\". Measurement Techniques 53 (10): 1182\u20131189. doi:10.1007\/s11018-011-9638-7.   \n \n\n\u2191 Smith, K. (2 July 2019). \"Integrated Informatics: Optimizing Food Quality and Safety by Building Regulatory Compliance into the Supply Chain\". Food Safety Tech. https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/feature_article\/integrated-informatics-optimizing-food-quality-and-safety-by-building-regulatory-compliance-into-the-supply-chain\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 Apte, A. (20 October 2020). \"Is Your Food Testing Lab Prepping for an ISO\/IEC 17025 Audit?\". Food Safety Tech. https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/is-your-food-testing-lab-prepping-for-an-iso-iec-17025-audit\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\u2191 McDermott, P. (31 July 2018). \"How Digital Solutions Support Supply Chain Transparency and Traceability\". Food Safety Tech. https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/how-digital-solutions-support-supply-chain-transparency-and-traceability\/ . Retrieved 19 July 2023 .   \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:49.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 8 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_LIMS rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment_What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_LIMS skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div align=\"center\">-----Return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070\">the beginning<\/a> of this guide-----<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"1._Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\">1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Lion_Lab_Technician2_(16279873861).jpg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"0e539828c0d793e150dea450d74216a8\"><img alt=\"Lion Lab Technician2 (16279873861).jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/1\/1d\/Lion_Lab_Technician2_%2816279873861%29.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div><p>Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory\" title=\"Laboratory\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"c57fc5aac9e4abf31dccae81df664c33\">laboratory<\/a> was created to carry out specific tasks that its parent organization needed to meet its business goals. The lab's biggest output is analytical results of tests it conducts, and it's imperative those analytical results are accurate, timely, and unaltered. Today, labs more than ever depend on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_management_system\" title=\"Laboratory information management system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8ff56a51d34c9b1806fcebdcde634d00\">laboratory information management system<\/a> (LIMS) to better meet those requirements. But justifying the benefits over the costs can be a challenge, particularly when upper management or critical stakeholders aren't keen on increasing spend, let alone aren't always well-informed about what LIMS can actually do for the lab.\n<\/p><p>The point of this guide is to give you the background you need to better make a case to your organization's management and key stakeholders for acquiring and deploying a LIMS. While pursuing this topic, we're going to make a couple of simple assumptions. We'll assume that your organization's senior management may not understand what goes on in your lab and how it carries out its work. We'll also assume they have a lot of things to contend with in their roles, giving them limited time to fully understand your lab's needs and the tools required to help it succeed. You want to make the explanation and justification for LIMS acquisition and deployment as easy and succinct as possible while at the same time demonstrating that this is the right decision.\n<\/p><p>The justification process for LIMS has a long history, and a lot has changed since the 1980s, when the technology was first introduced. Therefore, we need to examine what a LIMS is; what alternatives people commonly turn to; how the technology has evolved; what the history of LIMS justification is; what organizational, economic, and practical considerations surround LIMS adoption; how to develop a LIMS project proposal; and how to address any concerns management may raise during the justification process. This guide will attempt to address these things and more. First, however, we need to look at what LIMS is, what alternatives exist, and what the acquisition process looks like then and now. We'll also begin to address why a LIMS matters to today's laboratory in this chapter, with further points of justification coming later.\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"rdp-ebb-1.1_What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)?\"><\/span><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"1.1_What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_.28LIMS.29.3F\">1.1 What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A LIMS is a specialized, software-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Information_management\" title=\"Information management\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"f8672d270c0750a858ed940158ca0a73\">information management<\/a> solution that offers a set of key features that support a modern laboratory's operations. Introduced in the late 1970s and early 1980s<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-LIMSHistory_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-LIMSHistory-1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>, the design and functionality of this software has changed significantly over the years, such that today a majority of a laboratory's processes can benefit from the LIMS' implementation and use. A LIMS has functionality that addresses most of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Workflow\" title=\"Workflow\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"92bd8748272e20d891008dcb8243e8a8\">workflow<\/a> phases of a laboratory, including<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-MT5310_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-MT5310-2\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>:\n<\/p>\n<ul><li>the reception and log in of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Sample_(material)\" title=\"Sample (material)\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"7f8cd41a077a88d02370c02a3ba3d9d6\">sample<\/a> and its associated customer data;<\/li>\n<li>the assignment, scheduling, and tracking of the sample and the associated analytical workload;<\/li>\n<li>the processing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Quality_control\" title=\"Quality control\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"1e0e0c2eb3e45aff02f5d61799821f0f\">quality control<\/a> (QC) associated with the sample and the utilized equipment and inventory;<\/li>\n<li>the storage and access management of data associated with the sample analysis; and<\/li>\n<li>the inspection, approval, and compilation of the sample data for reporting and\/or further analysis.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Related is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_system\" title=\"Laboratory information system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"37add65b4d1c678b382a7d4817a9cf64\">laboratory information system<\/a> (LIS), which is tailored to the workflow of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Clinical_laboratory\" title=\"Clinical laboratory\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"307bcdf1bdbcd1bb167cee435b7a5463\">clinical laboratory<\/a>. That said, the distinction between the LIMS and LIS has blurred over time, with some LIMS having the same clinical information management features of an LIS. In both cases, the software\u2014when developed, implemented, and maintained well\u2014can improve laboratory workflows and workloads while enhancing safety, quality, and compliance. A well-implemented LIMS can reduce the silos of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Information\" title=\"Information\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"6300a14d9c2776dcca0999b5ed940e7d\">information<\/a> and data in a laboratory, while at the same time make that information and data more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Information_security\" title=\"Information security\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"9eff362d944224ff1d4ffe3a149d7cff\">secure<\/a>, readily accessible, and actionable. Additionally, many modern LIMS are able to be pre-configured out of the box with analytical and QC workflow support tools that can be further optimized to a lab's unique industry-based workflow. When integrated with instruments and other software systems, fewer transcription errors occur and traceability becomes easier, while monitoring of supply chain issues, QC data, instrument use, and more is further enabled, particularly when paired with configurable dashboards and alert mechanisms. This also means that the lab can react more rapidly to issues that compromise compliance with certification to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/ISO\/IEC_17025\" title=\"ISO\/IEC 17025\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"0a89cebb34370dd860cce86881cbf29c\">ISO\/IEC 17025<\/a> standard, as is necessary in, for example, the food and beverage industry.<sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-SmithInteg19_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-SmithInteg19-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-ApteIsYour20_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-ApteIsYour20-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup><sup id=\"rdp-ebb-cite_ref-McDermottHowDig18_5-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"#cite_note-McDermottHowDig18-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>\n<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"References\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"reflist references-column-width\" style=\"-moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;\">\n<div class=\"mw-references-wrap\"><ol class=\"references\">\n<li id=\"cite_note-LIMSHistory-1\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-LIMSHistory_1-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Gibbon, G.A. (1996). \"A brief history of LIMS\". <i>Laboratory Automation and Information Management<\/i> <b>32<\/b> (1): 1\u20135. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1016%2F1381-141X%2895%2900024-K\" target=\"_blank\">10.1016\/1381-141X(95)00024-K<\/a>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=A+brief+history+of+LIMS&rft.jtitle=Laboratory+Automation+and+Information+Management&rft.aulast=Gibbon%2C+G.A.&rft.au=Gibbon%2C+G.A.&rft.date=1996&rft.volume=32&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=1%E2%80%935&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1016%2F1381-141X%2895%2900024-K&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-MT5310-2\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-MT5310_2-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation Journal\">Skobelev, D.O.; Zaytseva, T.M.; Kozlov, A.D. et al. (2011). \"Laboratory information management systems in the work of the analytic laboratory\". <i>Measurement Techniques<\/i> <b>53<\/b> (10): 1182\u20131189. <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text wiki-link\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_object_identifier\" data-key=\"ae6d69c760ab710abc2dd89f3937d2f4\">doi<\/a>:<a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1007%2Fs11018-011-9638-7\" target=\"_blank\">10.1007\/s11018-011-9638-7<\/a>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Laboratory+information+management+systems+in+the+work+of+the+analytic+laboratory&rft.jtitle=Measurement+Techniques&rft.aulast=Skobelev%2C+D.O.%3B+Zaytseva%2C+T.M.%3B+Kozlov%2C+A.D.+et+al.&rft.au=Skobelev%2C+D.O.%3B+Zaytseva%2C+T.M.%3B+Kozlov%2C+A.D.+et+al.&rft.date=2011&rft.volume=53&rft.issue=10&rft.pages=1182%E2%80%931189&rft_id=info:doi\/10.1007%2Fs11018-011-9638-7&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-SmithInteg19-3\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-SmithInteg19_3-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Smith, K. (2 July 2019). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/feature_article\/integrated-informatics-optimizing-food-quality-and-safety-by-building-regulatory-compliance-into-the-supply-chain\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"Integrated Informatics: Optimizing Food Quality and Safety by Building Regulatory Compliance into the Supply Chain\"<\/a>. <i>Food Safety Tech<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/feature_article\/integrated-informatics-optimizing-food-quality-and-safety-by-building-regulatory-compliance-into-the-supply-chain\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/feature_article\/integrated-informatics-optimizing-food-quality-and-safety-by-building-regulatory-compliance-into-the-supply-chain\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Integrated+Informatics%3A+Optimizing+Food+Quality+and+Safety+by+Building+Regulatory+Compliance+into+the+Supply+Chain&rft.atitle=Food+Safety+Tech&rft.aulast=Smith%2C+K.&rft.au=Smith%2C+K.&rft.date=2+July+2019&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodsafetytech.com%2Ffeature_article%2Fintegrated-informatics-optimizing-food-quality-and-safety-by-building-regulatory-compliance-into-the-supply-chain%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-ApteIsYour20-4\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-ApteIsYour20_4-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">Apte, A. (20 October 2020). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/is-your-food-testing-lab-prepping-for-an-iso-iec-17025-audit\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"Is Your Food Testing Lab Prepping for an ISO\/IEC 17025 Audit?\"<\/a>. <i>Food Safety Tech<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/is-your-food-testing-lab-prepping-for-an-iso-iec-17025-audit\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/is-your-food-testing-lab-prepping-for-an-iso-iec-17025-audit\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Is+Your+Food+Testing+Lab+Prepping+for+an+ISO%2FIEC+17025+Audit%3F&rft.atitle=Food+Safety+Tech&rft.aulast=Apte%2C+A.&rft.au=Apte%2C+A.&rft.date=20+October+2020&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodsafetytech.com%2Fcolumn%2Fis-your-food-testing-lab-prepping-for-an-iso-iec-17025-audit%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"cite_note-McDermottHowDig18-5\"><span class=\"mw-cite-backlink\"><a href=\"#cite_ref-McDermottHowDig18_5-0\">\u2191<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"reference-text\"><span class=\"citation web\">McDermott, P. (31 July 2018). <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/how-digital-solutions-support-supply-chain-transparency-and-traceability\/\" target=\"_blank\">\"How Digital Solutions Support Supply Chain Transparency and Traceability\"<\/a>. <i>Food Safety Tech<\/i><span class=\"printonly\">. <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external free\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/how-digital-solutions-support-supply-chain-transparency-and-traceability\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/foodsafetytech.com\/column\/how-digital-solutions-support-supply-chain-transparency-and-traceability\/<\/a><\/span><span class=\"reference-accessdate\">. Retrieved 19 July 2023<\/span>.<\/span><span class=\"Z3988\" title=\"ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=How+Digital+Solutions+Support+Supply+Chain+Transparency+and+Traceability&rft.atitle=Food+Safety+Tech&rft.aulast=McDermott%2C+P.&rft.au=McDermott%2C+P.&rft.date=31+July+2018&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodsafetytech.com%2Fcolumn%2Fhow-digital-solutions-support-supply-chain-transparency-and-traceability%2F&rfr_id=info:sid\/en.wikipedia.org:Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\"><span style=\"display: none;\"> <\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726152035\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.185 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.222 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 3619\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 33597\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 10754\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 18\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 8996\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 186.633 1 -total\n 91.24% 170.281 1 Template:Reflist\n 67.65% 126.259 5 Template:Citation\/core\n 50.66% 94.552 2 Template:Cite_journal\n 29.69% 55.406 3 Template:Cite_web\n 24.46% 45.649 2 Template:Citation\/identifier\n 8.68% 16.195 3 Template:Date\n 8.67% 16.182 1 Template:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)?\n 7.14% 13.321 4 Template:Hide_in_print\n 4.84% 9.026 8 Template:Citation\/make_link\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14315-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726152035 and revision id 52640. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/1\/1d\/Lion_Lab_Technician2_%2816279873861%29.jpg"],"8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b_timestamp":1690384835,"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_type":"article","05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_title":"Introduction","05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_url":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction","05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_plaintext":"\n\nBook:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/IntroductionFrom LIMSWikiJump to navigationJump to search\nTitle: Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\nEdition: First Edition\nAuthors for citation: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\nLicense for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International\nPublication date: July 2023\n\r\n\nAs laboratory workflows become increasingly complex, personnel become shorter on time, and competition becomes more pronounced, lab managers turn to laboratory informatics solutions like the laboratory information management system (LIMS) to help gain practical and competitive advantage. However, acquiring and deploying a LIMS is no easy task, and simply presenting a handful of bullet-pointed potential benefits likely won't be enough to convince upper management and other critical stakeholders in the organization to go along with any proposed LIMS plan. Justification for the LIMS will need to be succinct and relevant, based on organizational goals, economic concerns, and practical realities. This guide will help you\u2014whether you are a lab manager, lab technician, or someone else in the organization with a stake in seeing laboratory operations improve\u2014understand what a LIMS is, what the alternatives are, what and why acquiring one looks like, and what needs to be considered in putting together a competent and persuasive LIMS project proposal. This guide also includes a handy Microsoft Excel workbook that will help act as a \"cheat sheet\" for persuading stakeholders to better buy into your vision of LIMS acquisition and deployment within your organization.\nThe table of contents for Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization is as follows:\n\r\n\n\n1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\n1.1 What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?\n1.2 What are the alternatives to a LIMS?\n1.3 LIMS acquisition then\n1.4 LIMS acquisition now\n1.5 Why a LIMS matters<\/dd>\n2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\n2.1 Organizational justifications: Why is it important?\n2.1.1 Why is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab?\n2.1.2 What problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab?\n2.1.3 What operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation?\n2.1.4 Why is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab?<\/dd>\n2.2 Economic considerations and justifications\n2.2.1 On-premises vs. cloud LIMS\n2.2.2 Common and add-on costs\n2.2.3 Factors that can offset costs<\/dd>\n2.3 Practical considerations and justifications\n2.3.1 Tangible benefits\n2.3.2 Intangible benefits<\/dd><\/dd>\n3. Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\n3.1 The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in\n3.2 Pitching the LIMS project\n3.2.1 A note about focusing too much on ROI<\/dd>\n3.3 Developing a cheat sheet for management<\/dd>\n4. Closing remarks\nAppendix 1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\n\n\n\n\nSource: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction<\/a>\nNavigation menuPage actionsBookDiscussionView sourceHistoryPage actionsBookDiscussionMoreToolsIn other languagesPersonal toolsLog inNavigationMain pageEncyclopedic articlesRecent changesRandom pageHelp about MediaWikiSearch\u00a0 ToolsWhat links hereRelated changesSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationPopular publications\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\r\nPrint\/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFDownload as PDFDownload as Plain textPrintable version This page was last edited on 26 July 2023, at 14:46.Content is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted.This page has been accessed 8 times.Privacy policyAbout LIMSWikiDisclaimers\n\n\n\n","05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_html":"<body class=\"mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-208 ns-subject page-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction rootpage-Book_Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization_Introduction skin-monobook action-view skin--responsive\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-globalWrapper\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-column-content\"><div id=\"rdp-ebb-content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"><a id=\"rdp-ebb-top\"><\/a>\n<h1 id=\"rdp-ebb-firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction<\/h1><div id=\"rdp-ebb-bodyContent\" class=\"mw-body-content\"><!-- start content --><div id=\"rdp-ebb-mw-content-text\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"mw-content-ltr\"><div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><div class=\"floatright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/File:Man_and_Woman_Shaking_Hands.jpg\" class=\"image wiki-link\" data-key=\"c9486d1ed88697bb95506a9bc45ae8eb\"><img alt=\"Man and Woman Shaking Hands.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2e\/Man_and_Woman_Shaking_Hands.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 400px;height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><b>Title<\/b>: <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i>\n<\/p><p><b>Edition<\/b>: First Edition\n<\/p><p><b>Authors for citation<\/b>: Joe Liscouski, Shawn E. Douglas\n<\/p><p><b>License for content<\/b>: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International<\/a>\n<\/p><p><b>Publication date<\/b>: July 2023\n<\/p><p><br \/>\nAs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory\" title=\"Laboratory\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"c57fc5aac9e4abf31dccae81df664c33\">laboratory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Workflow\" title=\"Workflow\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"92bd8748272e20d891008dcb8243e8a8\">workflows<\/a> become increasingly complex, personnel become shorter on time, and competition becomes more pronounced, lab managers turn to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_informatics\" title=\"Laboratory informatics\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"00edfa43edcde538a695f6d429280301\">laboratory informatics<\/a> solutions like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Laboratory_information_management_system\" title=\"Laboratory information management system\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8ff56a51d34c9b1806fcebdcde634d00\">laboratory information management system<\/a> (LIMS) to help gain practical and competitive advantage. However, acquiring and deploying a LIMS is no easy task, and simply presenting a handful of bullet-pointed potential benefits likely won't be enough to convince upper management and other critical stakeholders in the organization to go along with any proposed LIMS plan. Justification for the LIMS will need to be succinct and relevant, based on organizational goals, economic concerns, and practical realities. This guide will help you\u2014whether you are a lab manager, lab technician, or someone else in the organization with a stake in seeing laboratory operations improve\u2014understand what a LIMS is, what the alternatives are, what and why acquiring one looks like, and what needs to be considered in putting together a competent and persuasive LIMS project proposal. This guide also includes a handy Microsoft Excel workbook that will help act as a \"cheat sheet\" for persuading stakeholders to better buy into your vision of LIMS acquisition and deployment within your organization.\n<\/p><p>The table of contents for <i>Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization<\/i> is as follows:\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<dl><dd><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment\/What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b\">1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment<\/a>\n<dl><dd>1.1 What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?<\/dd>\n<dd>1.2 What are the alternatives to a LIMS?<\/dd>\n<dd>1.3 LIMS acquisition then<\/dd>\n<dd>1.4 LIMS acquisition now<\/dd>\n<dd>1.5 Why a LIMS matters<\/dd><\/dl><\/dd><\/dl>\n<dl><dd><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Organizational,_economic,_and_practical_justifications_for_a_LIMS\/Organizational_justifications:_Why_is_it_important%3F\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS\/Organizational justifications: Why is it important?\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"60bc881ff0530920dd276635de90ddae\">2. Organizational, economic, and practical justifications for a LIMS<\/a>\n<dl><dd>2.1 Organizational justifications: Why is it important?\n<dl><dd>2.1.1 Why is acquiring a LIMS important to meeting the goals of your lab?<\/dd>\n<dd>2.1.2 What problems does the LIMS solve that currently affect your lab?<\/dd>\n<dd>2.1.3 What operational, financial, and personnel improvements do you expect to see in your lab because of LIMS implementation?<\/dd>\n<dd>2.1.4 Why is this important to the larger organization, as well as those outside the lab?<\/dd><\/dl><\/dd>\n<dd>2.2 Economic considerations and justifications\n<dl><dd>2.2.1 On-premises vs. cloud LIMS<\/dd>\n<dd>2.2.2 Common and add-on costs<\/dd>\n<dd>2.2.3 Factors that can offset costs<\/dd><\/dl><\/dd>\n<dd>2.3 Practical considerations and justifications\n<dl><dd>2.3.1 Tangible benefits<\/dd>\n<dd>2.3.2 Intangible benefits<\/dd><\/dl><\/dd><\/dl><\/dd><\/dl>\n<dl><dd><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders\/The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384\">3. Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders<\/a>\n<dl><dd>3.1 The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in<\/dd>\n<dd>3.2 Pitching the LIMS project\n<dl><dd>3.2.1 A note about focusing too much on ROI<\/dd><\/dl><\/dd>\n<dd>3.3 Developing a cheat sheet for management<\/dd><\/dl><\/dd><\/dl>\n<dl><dd><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Closing_remarks\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/Closing remarks\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"ce573cd440bbb6ad0fdd5d74f44f2854\">4. Closing remarks<\/a><\/dd><\/dl>\n<dl><dd><a href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_Justification_Workbook\" title=\"Book:Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization\/LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook\" class=\"wiki-link\" data-key=\"6b134626495c84969c8eac9d5ba972b6\">Appendix 1. LIMS Acquisition and Deployment Justification Workbook<\/a><\/dd><\/dl>\n<!-- \nNewPP limit report\nCached time: 20230726151931\nCache expiry: 86400\nDynamic content: false\nComplications: []\nCPU time usage: 0.014 seconds\nReal time usage: 0.016 seconds\nPreprocessor visited node count: 1\/1000000\nPost\u2010expand include size: 0\/2097152 bytes\nTemplate argument size: 0\/2097152 bytes\nHighest expansion depth: 1\/40\nExpensive parser function count: 0\/100\nUnstrip recursion depth: 0\/20\nUnstrip post\u2010expand size: 0\/5000000 bytes\n-->\n<!--\nTransclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template)\n100.00% 0.000 1 -total\n-->\n\n<!-- Saved in parser cache with key limswiki:pcache:idhash:14314-0!canonical and timestamp 20230726151931 and revision id 52637. Serialized with JSON.\n -->\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"printfooter\">Source: <a rel=\"external_link\" class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction\">https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- end content --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div><!-- end of the left (by default at least) column --><div class=\"visualClear\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/body>","05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_images":["https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2e\/Man_and_Woman_Shaking_Hands.jpg"],"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070_timestamp":1690384834,"816bc5ee048c8669f9d42b30425606b4":{"type":"chapter","title":"About this book","key":"816bc5ee048c8669f9d42b30425606b4"}},"link":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization","price_currency":"","price_amount":"","book_size":"","download_url":"https:\/\/www.limsforum.com?ebb_action=book_download&book_id=108600","language":"","cta_button_content":"","toc":[{"type":"chapter","name":"About this book","id":"816bc5ee048c8669f9d42b30425606b4","children":[{"type":"article","name":"Introduction","id":"05b67a0bceac708006b29f16d3336070","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction"}]},{"type":"chapter","name":"1. Introduction to LIMS and its acquisition and deployment","id":"a565d9db91f5f3ab7e2c36d10f4b79b3","children":[{"type":"article","name":"1.1 What is a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?","id":"8b0b81a8f7975f6955880df3bdd3850b","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_is_a_laboratory_information_management_system_(LIMS)%3F"},{"type":"article","name":"1.2 What are the alternatives to a LIMS?","id":"a2f120b8e1505123ecc329bf33786a8f","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/What_are_the_alternatives_to_a_LIMS%3F"},{"type":"article","name":"1.3 LIMS acquisition then","id":"dcb4cf5393bfc89fd6b4f45ac84ade53","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_then"},{"type":"article","name":"1.4 LIMS acquisition now","id":"3c2e8826c3061c6cc176d406880161ee","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/LIMS_acquisition_now"},{"type":"article","name":"1.5 Why a LIMS matters","id":"55f896c77c0256a1fdef752400816449","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Introduction_to_LIMS_and_its_acquisition_and_deployment\/Why_a_LIMS_matters"}]},{"type":"chapter","name":"2. 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Gaining buy-in from management and other stakeholders","id":"e4f627194c1cea6d5918dea74ccb6880","children":[{"type":"article","name":"3.1 The importance of manager (and stakeholder) buy-in","id":"ca4122eec3c0c2bdf8f694de8e637384","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/The_importance_of_manager_(and_stakeholder)_buy-in"},{"type":"article","name":"3.2 Pitching the LIMS project","id":"c7a7580bb119421f473aa06193fab00a","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Pitching_the_LIMS_project"},{"type":"article","name":"3.3 Developing a cheat sheet for management","id":"e7bf013fa9d9cff80a5da448521e8bbc","pageUrl":"https:\/\/www.limswiki.org\/index.php\/Book:Justifying_LIMS_Acquisition_and_Deployment_within_Your_Organization\/Gaining_buy-in_from_management_and_other_stakeholders\/Developing_a_cheat_sheet_for_management"}]},{"type":"chapter","name":"4. 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Justifying LIMS Acquisition and Deployment within Your Organization
First Edition
Editor: Joe Liscouski and Shawn E. Douglas
Publisher: LabLynx Press
Copyright LabLynx Inc. All rights reserved.