Once your lab
has made the decision to incorporate a Laboratory Information Management System
(LIMS), then comes the big question: To build a LIMS or to buy it?
There are a
number of proponents for both sides but what would actually be better for a
lab, particularly in this age of ongoing technological enhancements?
When making
that decision, you must consider that ultimately what you need is a LIMS that
reduces sample turnaround time and errors, efficiently manages lab resources,
automates routine tasks, and helps you seamlessly integrate new technologies
and scale up sample volume.
Should you be Building your own LIMS or buying it from a trusted vendor?
There are some
major points to consider, the first being your ability to Customise.
Many labs believe that building your own LIMS allows for full customisation as
you can build the LIMS specifically according to the needs of your lab. But
what happens when you bring in new technology? The LIMS you have created has a
rigid framework that has been customised entirely according to your lab at that
point, would you be able to seamlessly upscale your research?
This issue does
not arise where buying a commercial LIMS is concerned, the LIMS can be customised to integrate any change in technology, new instrumentation or a
larger throughput of samples. This would extend the useful life of the system,
eventually providing you with good returns on your investment.
Secondly, Cost,
how much are you willing to spend in the long run? Building your own LIMS is a costlier process in terms of cost of
ownership, as it compounds the total development cost.
Once you have
employed IT experts or a programmer to build your LIMS for you, it doesn’t just
end there, once the LIMS is complete the needs of your lab could have changed
or you may have purchased expensive equipment which now cannot be integrated
with your LIMS. You would have to get that programmer back in to modify your
LIMS or rebuild – this cost a great deal of money and time eventually causing
you to lose out in terms of a return on investment.
On the other
hand, if you were to buy a LIMS that can be customised by the vendor to
consistently suit any operational changes, the initial cost may be higher, but
it would be a safer bet as you would not have to keep raking up more costs in
the future, you have the expertise of the vendor to make the changes you need.
As illustrated in the infographic below, the reasons to buy a LIMS far outweigh those for building one:
· Speedy Implementation
· Ongoing Support and Services
· Time saved can be utilised on what is more
important - Research
· Scalability - allowing your lab to grown along with
advancements in global technology
Ultimately,
if you want your LIMS operational in a couple of months with the flexibility of
allowing your lab to expand without having to take on the effort of modifying
the LIMS according to the changes in your lab, it would be preferable to dole
out that cost and buy it from a trusted vendor.
Conversely, if LIMS is not an immediate requirement, you can
go ahead and make the decision to build your LIMS to the exact requirements of
your laboratory.
