Implementing a Software Based User Access System in a Core Analytical Lab: Benefits and Challenges

Summary form only given. The management of a university analytical lab has many facets. From billing, tool reservations, maintenance and performance metrics, there are many aspects best served by a software based package to assist in day to day operations. As lab instrumentation and usage grow, there is simply too much of the above mentioned information to track without some form of automated system to help improve efficiency. However, not all changes from an informal system are necessarily positive or quantifiable. Creating a sense of ownership and community is a critical part of any Core facility at a university: lab members must feel a sense that the lab is there to serve their needs and help them in every way possible with generating results to guide their research. There is a risk that users may feel alienated with an automated system. Here, a discussion of the move from an informal system, to the implementation of the software package Coral at the Micron™ Microscopy Core at the University of Utah is discussed. Examples of how to meet such challenges with a software based model are presented.