Incorporating Fully Automated Test Programs in Lab Design and Renovation
Designing for the future: experts discuss best practices for integrating automation into laboratory spaces, emphasizing lean principles, modular design, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement to ensure efficiency and adaptability. Image: Courtesy of Leica Biosystems
As laboratories increasingly adopt automation to optimize operations and improve efficiency, integrating fully automated test programs into physical lab facilities becomes a critical focus. Whether through initial design or renovation, this process involves addressing technical, spatial, and operational challenges while ensuring that the infrastructure is future-ready.
In this interview, Lab Design News speaks to David Newell, MBA, HT(ASCP)CM, and April Schrank-Hacker, EdD, MSOD, CG(ASCP)CM, both workflow solutions consultants with Leica Biosystems, who give their insight on best practices for incorporating automation into laboratory design.
The importance of lean design and stakeholder engagement
Automation begins with understanding the lab’s workflow and goals. Newell emphasized the importance of eliminating inefficiencies by applying Lean or Six Sigma principles. This involves reducing motion, wait times, and unnecessary steps, all of which can hinder productivity. As Schrank-Hacker notes, "Our workflow team helps to eliminate those wastes, particularly those that don't add value, such as motion, waiting, or transportation, [such as] walking things back and forth. Our team really works to help integrate automation to increase that productivity and really build that muscle of operational excellence."
Schrank-Hacker added that involving stakeholders early in the process is vital. This includes lab technicians, managers, engineers, and environmental health and safety (EHS) personnel. “One of the most important or critical success factors, I think, is really that engagement,” she says about including team members in the design process. “[We use the] insights and feedback from the ones who use the lab or the automation in the space. That really helps us to understand how that instrument should be best used? Our workflow teams at Leica always have an initial kickoff meeting to really understand their needs and what problems that piece of automation in that space is trying to solve. And then from there, we'll go in and do an on-site visit and really look at how things are working, and really evaluate the lab space and the people who are in it.”
The inclusion of team members who will be working in the lab space is vital, agrees Newell. “Often, they're the ones that can most easily call out what's an issue today and what they're looking forward to in the new space, and how that's going to be alleviated by the new space,” he says, adding that regularly scheduled meetings, surveys, and even posting plans in shared spaces (such as a suggestion box or staff surveys) help ensure that all voices are heard.
Planning for flexibility and future growth
One of the biggest challenges laboratories face is planning for future needs. According to Newell, it’s not uncommon for labs to outgrow their space shortly after moving into a newly designed facility. To address this, modularity is key. Movable benches and cabinetry allow labs to adapt to changing requirements without costly overhauls.
When planning laboratory spaces, he says, it’s crucial to start by thoroughly assessing current workflows. This involves understanding the existing processes, identifying issues, and evaluating how specimens move through the lab. Labs often default to replicating their current setup in a larger space, which might seem like the easiest solution but can overlook inefficiencies. Engaging stakeholders, particularly lab staff, is equally important since they have firsthand experience with daily operations and can provide valuable insights into existing challenges.
Conducting a needs assessment is essential, not only to define the current state but also to anticipate future requirements. A common mistake is designing for projected growth—such as a 20 percent increase in volume over five years—without accounting for delays in construction or remodeling. Therefore, it’s vital to establish realistic growth expectations and develop a scalable plan to accommodate future expansion.
“What ends up happening is you get a couple of delays with your remodel rebuild, and then by the time you get in there, you've actually already maxed out your capacity,” says Newell. “So I think it's really important to kind of really take a good look at and get realistic expectations of where you're going to be in five to 10 years, and really make sure you have a plan for how you're going to incorporate more growth when you get to the new space.”
Addressing space and infrastructure constraints
Space constraints remain a common hurdle, especially in facilities like hospital labs where expansion options are limited. “You’re never able, or very rarely are you able, to increase the size of your lab in its current state. You're usually looking to add on a room here or there, hopefully on the same floor,” he says.
Newell also points out that inherited spaces often come with unexpected challenges, such as unexpected structural columns or west-facing windows that affect instrument placement because of the position of the sunset. He also adds that infrastructure needs, such as HVAC, power, and network connectivity, also play a significant role. Automated systems generate heat and require robust ventilation and electrical systems. Ensuring sufficient uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for instrumentation is another often-overlooked detail. He encourages project teams to bring in utilities experts at the beginning of projects. Internal facilities professionals, he says, should be “getting .. involved earlier than you think they need to be involved.”
Network connectivity is also crucial: “As we move towards more digital pathology in the pathology lab space, having those data connectivity spots and the bandwidth that you need becomes something that no one really thought about five years ago,” Newell says.
Planning for future, as-yet-unknown technology is also a challenge when incorporating automation systems into a lab space. Modularity, says Schrank-Hacker, can offer customized bench and storage space configurations as new instruments as they move in. “It helps to provide an eye towards a future, updated workflow design, which can potentially save on reconstruction time and money,” she comments. “These movable benches and cabinetry really can be built around things like electrical and water and venting, because those things almost always are in place already? It's really hard to move that kind of structure. But with the modulars, you can build around them and make the space work for you.”
Modular design, she adds, also helps with storage space, which is usually at a premium in labs. “Having that flexible storage space really helps to have your reagents and your supplies right at hand for just in time delivery of when you need it at each station,” she says.
Safety is a team effort
Safety is paramount in automated labs. Designing with ergonomic and safety protocols in mind ensures a seamless integration of technology without compromising user well-being. Adjustable-height benches, strategically placed hand sinks, and properly located safety showers are examples of design elements that enhance both functionality and safety.
Schrank-Hacker emphasizes the importance of involving EHS teams early in the process, and doing a thorough walk-through of the lab space. “No one can advise you better about chemical hygiene, lab safety, ergonomics—those folks are on your team, and they're there for a reason, so use them.”
Newell adds, “Include more people than you think. Include everybody and let them decide, ‘Oh, I don't need to be here every week. I just need to be kept up to date on this.’ But let them be the ones to tell you. Don't have to go to them at the end and say, ‘Oh, we didn't think to include you’—include everybody in the beginning, and let them bow out or decide what they need and how often they need to be involved.”
Post-occupancy evaluation: continuous improvement
Automation doesn’t end with installation. Post-occupancy evaluations are essential for measuring success and identifying areas for improvement. Schrank-Hacker recommends defining key performance indicators (KPIs) with the entire project team at the outset.
“You have to understand what and how you want to measure with your stakeholders to help you drive the teams towards a common goal and benchmarks. If you don't know what you're measuring, you can't measure it,” she says. “Some examples would be turnaround times for sample results, or mapping transportation of technologists and how they flow through a lab, or sample workflows—how does your sample get from one place to another? How does it get from biopsy to diagnosis? Having an agreement on what those key performance indicators up front are is really, really important to that.”
Collecting feedback from end users after the lab is operational ensures that the space supports productivity. This iterative approach promotes continuous improvement, ensuring that the lab remains efficient and adaptable. “It’s crucial to get the alignment of that team ahead of time, to prioritize the before and after data so you can use that as evidence,” Schrank-Hacker adds. “It gives you a measurement. It gives you yardsticks. What we value is this idea of daily management, because that helps you visualize those metrics and really adjust your processes as needed, so you can learn from that and make adjustments as you go.”
Lessons learned: best practices for automation
The conversation highlighted several lessons learned from past projects:
Engage stakeholders: Include representatives from all functions early in the design process.
Plan for the future: Design spaces that can accommodate growth and evolving technologies.
Anticipate challenges: Address infrastructure limitations and unexpected design constraints proactively.
Prioritize safety: Incorporate ergonomic features and comply with safety protocols.
Commit to continuous improvement: Regularly evaluate and tweak processes post-occupancy.
By following these principles, labs can successfully integrate automation into their design, creating facilities that are not only efficient but also resilient to future challenges. As Schrank-Hacker aptly puts it, “Make the space work for you.”
