'Manager's Guide to Lab Automation and Technology Management', a new course for lab managers and directors, is now available from Delphinus
The successful use of automation and information technologies in laboratory applications depends as much upon the policies and goals defined by lab management as it does on the skills of those implementing projects.
Whether you are responsible for one lab or a laboratory complex, setting the guidelines within which automation is implemented across lab organisations is fundamental to cost-effective, successful, and supportable systems.
The purpose of this short-course is to introduce management to lab automation: what it is, management's role in laboratory automation, the policies that need to be developed to help ensure successful projects, models of laboratory work that can be used to define automation needs and product requirements, and an overview of the technologies used.
Since the participants are expected to bring with them a range of experiences and perspectives, we expect this course to be interactive.
Laboratory automation is often viewed as a technology effort.
Successful projects will depend on managements ability to set goals and policies to guide the development of systems that can be integrated, reduce operational costs, and meet their goals.
Managers have an active role in lab automation projects, and should understand how those projects can be used to increase the lab's effectiveness, and the lab's ability to work with other organisations.
