Ask not for what you think you need...

I have been reflecting a lot recently on why researchers think they need grand solutions for relatively small problems. Specifically there is a perception among benchers that are conducting large-ish experiments that they need some sort of LIMS to manage their data. Frankly as I've stated many times (at least in conversations with other IT folk, and even with benchers) most researchers don't want a LIMS. What they really want is fancy file storage.

Yet, the town folk keep insisting "we need LIMS, please give...". LIMS are probably the only thing that potentially fits the bill for experimental data management, so that's what benchers ask for, when most likely a digital asset management application would suffice. Heck, even all those bit torrent sites can potentially do the job that researchers need.

If you are a coder that is continually asked to provide a LIMS to researchers, or if you are a bencher that is interested in LIMS for data management, here are a set of questions you can ask before going any further down the rough and tumbly road that is LIMS adoption:

1. Are you in a regulated environment?
2. Are you willing to mandate use of the LIMS?
3. Do you have adequate personnel to support the LIMS locally (e.g. do you have a dedicated person that will actively promote the use of the LIMS, train folks, configure the system, do extensive follow-up, etc. Vendor support will only be of help at the start of the adoption process.)
   
4. Do you have a lot of spare cash? (Think 6 figures to buy an initial bank of licenses)
5. Will you have a lot of spare cash for the next 3-5 years? (Think 5 figures to keep annual support and maintenance up to date.)

If you answered "No" to any of these questions, seriously reconsider buying what is traditionally known as a LIMS. Instrument control, automatic data acquisition, yada, yada, all those marketing features used to sell a LIMS don't mean squat if no one uses it in the first place.

Annotated Western with iPhone sketch app

Just tested out the Sketch application for annotation of a western blot on the iPod Touch. Verdict: Not so easy to write text or small symbols. Also it was impossible to do one handed, as the touch slid around the desk. Would need some sort of rubber mat to put any small device on to provide enough traction for one-handed operations.

On the bright side, it should be a fairly easy task to alter this app for putting in text and small oft-used symbols (like arrows).

can't touch this

so been plating with the iPod touch for a few days now and am trying to type out an entry as fast a the keyboard will let me. not too bad word replacement is happening and I can type out reasonably quickly. for posts re rich text we does not work but is fine ss HTML. amy caps you see are actually word replacements.

well a good test to say the least. makes me hopeful that a lims app is not so far fetched.

Signs from above

So my earlier idea of using an iPhone or iPod touch as the gateway into an electronic lab notebook for tracking protocols and doing real-time data entry has been given some conflicting signals from the powers that be. One of those powers (my boss) answered my long (but not too long) email proposal with a one word reply. What was the word you ask? ... "cute" ... No signature even.

Another higher power (the internet) quickly followed that crushing monosyllabic bitch-slap with an uplifting rumour from AppleInsider that Apple is developing a PDA device based on the iPhone & Touch UI, but with a bigger screen. Bigger screen (woohoo!) and the potential to install non-Apple third party apps (highly unlikely given Apple's recent activities) would be an ideal device to use as a lab e-notebook tablet.

Oh, whom do I listen to??? Should I drop the project completely? Or should I table the project until the a new, (relatively) low-cost, and developer-friendly device pops into existence?

In the end, I decided to listen to my inner voice, you know the impatient one, and just bought myself a touch to play around with for the time being. If this mythical iPAD ever sees the light of day, I'll raise the issue again with the G-man and get him to foot the bill for what will probably be a more expensive device. Either way I win ;) Unless of course he calls my bluff ...

Touchscreen Lab

For a while now I have been musing on what would a next-generation Lab Information Management Systems (LIMS) user interface could look like. Thought of touchscreen interfaces and ad-hoc text mining have filled my brain, but I have not yet been able to get a clear enough picture to start work on such a project.

Enter the iPhone and iPod touch. How cool would it be to develop a clean and robust LIMS application for them? How would you take advantage of the touchscreen? How easy would filling out notes or changes to protocol templates be with the on-screen keyboard? How would the screen size limit you design process? How effective would it be to integrate SMS for alerts for stop-watch and protocol coordination?

Plus what better excuse can I make to purchase one of these bad boys? Anyway, here is a quick mock-up of the type of interface I envision. Enjoy!