At the Paperless Lab Academy in Amsterdam in May 2014, Claire Hill presented a one hour educational workshop entitled 'Simple approaches to map lab processes'

1. © 2014 ID Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved
Paperless Lab Academy
Workshop: Simple approaches to
map lab processes
Claire Hill
13 May 2014

2. ©2014 IDBS
… and why do it?
What is Process Mapping?
 Tool to visualize and understand work flow
 Benefits
•Process insight
•Improvement opportunities
•Manage complexity
•Training, Quality, IT

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… and why do it?
What is Process Mapping?
 An early ‘80s video says it well

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Are you looking to..
Where to start?
a) Increase efficiency/quality (VSM, Lean Six, OpEx..)?
b) Improve data flows/knowledge management?
c) Prepare for a new system?
d) Harmonize workflows across groups?
e) All of the above?
Be clear about the focus and objectives

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Know how you’re going to capture information
Tip #1: Have a plan
Based on article by Kathleen O’Brien

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Best done as a group, however you may hear:
Tip #2: Participation (and Patience)
 The way I do things now works fine; why do I need to change?
 I have no idea why I’m here or what this project/system is, my
manager just told me to attend this meeting
 I won’t know what I need until I know what new system can do
 The other group do the same work but in a different way… I think

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Ask open-ended questions
Tip #3: Be Open Minded
 What is the objective…?
 Where do you find …?
 How do you know …?
 What happens if …?
 Do we need to?
 Why?

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Baseline is critical
Tip #4: Don’t skip the As-Is (current state)
 Don’t neglect the obvious
 Get consensus on what is done now!
 Key elements are already there
 Avoid temptation to “solutionize” too soon

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Right level of detail
Tip #5: Don’t over complicate (or simplify)
 What’s wrong with this combination?
Print Buffer
Labels in 28x16
format
Manage
Inventory

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Right level of detail
Tip #5: Don’t over complicate (or simplify)
 Better
Receive
Materials from
Central Store
Print and Attach
Material Labels

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Tip #6: Capture the end-to-end process
From: Digital Intelligence Today, 2012

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Process mapping is a tool, not an end point
Tip #7: It doesn’t have to be perfect
 Avoid “pretty diagram” bias
 Critique/discussion is good!
 Expect changes and revisions

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Methodology
How to get started
 Define purpose/objectives of process
 Understand business context
• Regulatory influences (e.g. GxP)
• IP protection, etc.
 List SIPOC
• Suppliers Inputs Processes Outputs Customers
• Does not have to be in order

14. ©2014 IDBS
Things to consider
Suppliers
 Who?
 Why?
 When?
 What is their workflow?
 Example: Central Stores distribute materials/
reagents to the lab on an ad-hoc basis.

15. ©2014 IDBS
Things to consider
Inputs
 What?
 Format?
 When?
 Why?
 From where?
 Examples: Sampling plan; readings from pH meter

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Things to consider
Process
 How?
 When?
 Why?
 Example: Plot standard curve, run sequence, check
acceptance criteria

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Things to consider
Outputs
 What?
 When?
 Why?
 For whom?
 Example: Test results, experiment write-up, report

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Things to consider
Customers
 Who?
 Why?
 When?
 Example: Lab head reviews usage report, requester
receives test results

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Choose one
Example Scenarios
1. Lab scientist preparing standard pH solutions
2. Lab scientist calibrating a pH meter
3. Lab scientist measuring pH of samples
List out:
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers

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Look at Flow
Once SIPOC is defined
 Define sequence order
•Activities, decision points, flow of data
•Dependencies with other processes/groups?
 Consider alternatives
•Routine or ad-hoc?
•Exception handling?

21. ©2014 IDBS
Use Standard Symbols
Create Flow Diagram
 Start/End
 Step/Activity
 Decision
 Document
START END
Receive
Materials from
Central Store
Study Report

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Recommendations
Best Practice
 Always have a 1-page overview
 Use notes to explain anything over 7 words
 Avoid crossed lines
 Avoid too many symbols/colours
 Include a symbol key

23. ©2014 IDBS
Example Flow Diagram
Report
Section
Data
Source
Unique ID
Sample ID
END
Receive
Samples, scan
barcodesSTART
Select PCR
template
Measure
Concentration
with NanoDrop
Define MasterMix
and Calculate
Amounts
Record Results
from 7900HT
Run Gel and add
Image,
Comments
Add Comments
and Sign
NanoDrop 7900HT
Import Import

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Create Design
Specification
Review
Design
Specification
Revise Design
Specification
Approve
Design
Specification
Configuration
Review
Test Script
Development*
Testing/
Feedback
Qualification
Develop
Training
Materials**
Deliver
Training
Up to 3
Iterations
CUSTOMERIDBS
WORKFLOW DELIVERY PROCESS | Version 1.0 | 25-Jul-2013
Requirement Workshop Design Specification Configuration UAT / Validation Deployment
CUSTOMER EFFORT IN DAYS (SUPER USERS)
Small 0.5 1.0 1.5 Requirement specific Requirement specific
Medium 1.5 2.0 3.0 Requirement specific Requirement specific
Lead
Workshop
Participate in
Workshop
Prepare
Collateral/
Data Files
Review
Collateral/
Data Files
Up to 3
iterations
Configuration/
Unit Testing
IDBS Dev Env
On Site
Workshop
Revision/
Delivery
Development Env Test Environment
Development Env
Final
Revisions
Test Environment
Ready
for Use
Production EnvTest Environment
If Necessary
Change Control required
for further changes
Training
Support
Includes catalog
design and workflow
dependencies
Additional 2 iterations
may be required for
interconnected workflows
Example Swim Lane

25. ©2014 IDBS
To-Be
Further Process Analysis
 Opportunities for Improvement
• Remove bottlenecks, redundancies, delays
• Improve accuracy, reduce errors
 Quantify Benefits
•Time savings (process/elapsed time, review cycles)
•Quality improvements

26. ©2014 IDBS
END
No naming
convention for
samples
Receive
Samples, create
Excel fileSTART
Print Copy of
Protocol for
Write-Up
Measure
Concentration
with NanoDrop
Define MasterMix
and Calculate
Amounts
Record Results
from 7900HT
Run Gel and
Copy Images,
add Comments
Print Files and
Paste into
Notebook
Add Comments
and Sign
NanoDrop 7900HT
Manually
adjust formulas
Manual
Entry
Print
Copy/
Paste
Copy/
Paste
Copy/
Paste
Print,
Cut/Paste
Manual
Entry
Example workflow
Manual transcriptions, difficult to trace/search, multiple review cycles
due to transcription errors/incomplete data
As-Is
Process Time: 4 hours
Elapsed Time: ~3 days
Complete & Accurate: 75%

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Example workflow
Automated transfers, traceable and searchable, single review cycle
To-Be
Sample ID
END
Receive
Samples, scan
barcodesSTART
Select PCR
template
Measure
Concentration
with NanoDrop
Define MasterMix
and Calculate
Amounts
Record Results
from 7900HT
Run Gel and add
Image,
Comments
Add Comments
and Sign
NanoDrop 7900HT
Import Import
Process Time: 1 hour
Elapsed Time: <1 day
Complete & Accurate: 100%

28. ©2014 IDBS
Low to higher risk & costs / ROI minutes to years
Approach – options to support your project & vision
Simple data modeling
Capturing unstructured data
Simple structured data
Structured data & process
Cross collaboration
Enterprise analysis & insight

29. ©2014 IDBS
Benefits of Process Mapping
Summary
 Value in simplicity
 Good picture is worth 1,000s of words
 Shared understanding of process
 Platform for future improvement