5 steps that matter most when choosing an electronic lab notebook
There is always a lag phase when new technology enters our lives. There is always the concern about its influence on our routine and whether we can rely upon it. Soon enough though, these concerns become obsolete. For example, we trustingly rely on meeting reminders on our phones and digital calendars without even thinking about it.
Writing by hand in paper notebooks to trace the research data is a standard practice, which is accepted by most researchers. Although poorly searchable, this is, despite the already available technology, considered a safe and affordable option. Somehow we don’t even pay attention to the actual level of automation that is already out there; we use computers for writing articles and emails, for preparing reports and organizing our work; we use different software solutions for data analysis and phones to take pictures wherever we are, even in the lab. It is all part of the daily routine.
Here is a list of important steps that can help you when choosing a digital notebook for your lab:
It is really important that you define what exactly you need from the digital notebook. Which functions are “must have” and which are “nice to have”? Think about the ease of use, finding and saving your data, compatibility with different data formats, exporting and archiving, number of users in your lab and authority among them, creating reports, defining the budget, cloud vs. local installation etc. In our previous article: 10 Most Important Electronic Lab Notebook Features we go over this more in detail.
After you define your expectations, take into account the regulatory requirements of your institution or company that concern you. Think about the confidentiality of data and whether certain data is highly confidential? Are you working in the laboratory that requires you to follow certain standards when managing your data? Are you allowed to use the digital cloud solutions in your lab? Are you allowed to use mobile devices in your lab to access data? Does the electronic lab notebook operate only in a cloud or does it allow local installation? Is it suitable for validated labs (if you are working in one)? etc.
Once your expectations are defined and the regulatory requirements of your institution or company are clear, do a quick search of the electronic lab notebooks that are available and ready to use immediately. If you already did google some solutions, you know that there are many vendors out there, every one having a slightly different approach and portfolio of features. There is a good chance that you will be able to find a product that would cover a great majority of your needs. Make sure you can contact the team behind the ELN and ask them any question that wasn’t obvious from your online search. Usually the FAQ web page answers most of your questions, however it is also good to chat with the support team. Which takes us to the next step...
You would definitely want to check how responsive the support team is, are they approachable, ready to listen to your needs and take them into account. Live demonstrations of electronic lab notebooks (usually via solutions like Skype screen sharing for example) are a good way to meet the team behind the digital notebook, see how the software works, ask questions directly and discuss your needs with the product specialists.
Create a short list of vendors that seem to satisfy your needs and are legally acceptable.
Once you’ve made the selection, do a pilot experiment with the electronic lab notebook of choice. This way you will be able to estimate where you are adding more work to your process and where you can shave off time. This kind of pilot will reveal the most details that you need to know about the software and will probably raise questions you didn’t think of before. Questions that you should be able to discuss with the software support team.
Most important electronic lab notebook features you would want to check before making a decision
7 Best Electronic Lab Notebooks
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