A new approach to Vendor-Independent "LIMS" Selection and Implementation Support 

LIMS Academy provides central access to vendor-independent resources! 

Background

LIMS Academy is a new "online" initiative from Louis Uunk, founder and senior consultant of LUFC LabConsultants (LUFC). LUFC LabConsultants was founded by Louis Uunk in 2009 as a vendor independent service provider for the laboratory (informatics) market, mainly operating in the Benelux and surrounding countries. LUFC's main focus over the years has been the (hands-on) support and coaching for laboratories during Laboratory Information Management Software (LIMS) selection and implementation projects. LUFC has successfully completed more than 60 "LIMS" (LIMS, ELN, SDMS, LES, QMS etc) projects in almost any market sector. 
We experienced that spending time doing a thorough project preparation and structured solution selection resulted in a high rate of successful implementations.

LUFC focusses on one or more of the activities below (depending on your individual needs):

• Business Analyses - "As-Is" => "To-Be".
• Workflow Analyses - How does your new LIMS need to support your processes?
• IT Landscape Analysis - How does the LIMS need to fit into your IT infrastructure?
• Requirements Analysis - How does the role for the new LIMS translate into software functionality needed, vendor services and  (non-)functional requirements?
• Documentation - URS, RFI(P), contracts etc.
• Vendor Selection Process - multi-phase process based on quality of software and vendor services.
• Transition Selection =>  Implementation.
• Implementation Project Management.

Common LIMS Selection & Implementation Challenges

15 years of supporting our customers/laboratories (QC, QA, production, research, development etc.) through LUFC LabConsultants and 20+ years before in other laboratory/informatics roles gave me many insights in the factors that play a decisive role in the quality and success of a (laboratory) Information Management System selection and implementation project. We observed similar critical project-success factors, like customer behaviors, -needs, -shortcomings and -challenges with most of our customers (organizations) that potentially endanger the progress, efficiency and end result of the selection (& implementation) project. 

Challenges many laboratory face during Laboratory Informatics Selection (& Implementation) projects:

• Customers often have limited knowledge on how to successfully run a selection & implementation project. 
• Customers often have limited laboratory informatics market knowledge of vendors & their software solutions.
• Customers are still highly dependent on software vendors to fill their knowledge & experience gap(s) and lead them towards a choice/decision, instead of seeking advice of independent resources and make substantiated decisions based on their real needs and proven vendor software & service capabilities.
• Customers often do not know how to manage vendors and are susceptible to vendor's commercial/marketing influences, often leading to choices based on the wrong criteria.
• Customers tend to want to jump into presentations/demonstrations early in the project before proper preparation and even knowing what the new LIMS needs to do for them.
• Customer resources (people) are often insufficient to run a "large" selection/implementation project, resulting in project delays and high costs of hiring external consultants.
• Customers are often busy to an extend that willingness to actively participate in a large/long laboratory informatics project is insufficient.
• Involvement of higher management during several critical stages of the project is often lacking, potentially resulting in complex decision phases due to insufficient project substantiation.
• Customers need connection to vendor-independent resources, LIMS Expert Consultants and other customers, facing the same challenges, for support and knowledge/information exchange.
• Real vendor-independent outside selection and implementation coaching resources are scarce around the globe. Many have affiliated themselves to one or more vendors in whatever form.
  Some vendors are even suggesting that they can offer "vendor-independent" selection support .... needless to say that this of course a fairy tale ....  a way for the vendor to gain control over the selection process towards their own solution.  

The effects of the observations above often play a decisive role in the outcome of the selection project and as a consequence on the quality, cost and lead time of the final implementation result.

LIMS Academy

LUFC LabConsultants developed a project methodology to effectively manage potential project risks resulting from common project challenges that customers are facing. In many cases however this involves a high level of "hands-on" support from the external consultant to manage customers project challenges, which limits the customers journey to become self-reliant. 

LIMS Academy provides a better, more efficient and also more cost-effective way to ensure a successful "LIMS" selection and implementation project in which customers stay in control throughout the entire project and become more self-reliant. 
LIMS Academy developed a new approach to LIMS selection and implementation support using a dedicated online community and coaching/training platform for customers to learn how to take back project control and become less influenced by vendors. LIMS Academy's online community and coaching/training platform is available "everywhere and anytime" for the (laboratory) customer to "Engage, Learn & Share". 

This new approach will allow LIMS Academy to provide the necessary vendor-independent community, coaching/training & hands-on support(where still needed) to more customers around the world and improve their project results through mutual sharing of knowledge, experience and information.

There should be no reason for multiple laboratories around the world to experience the same pitfalls, when they can come together in the LIMS Academy Community & Coaching platform to  "Engage, Learn & Share". 

LIMS Academy Community

LIMS Academy Community is becoming a worldwide community of actively engaging "LIMS" customers that are either selecting or already implementing a Laboratory Information Management Software solution. 
The community is build on a secure professional online coaching/training & community platform that can be configured to members needs.
We divided the community in two dedicated "member-groups", one for "LIMS" selection members and one for "LIMS" implementation members. This ensures that every group gets the proper attention fitting the project phase they are currently in. The community is free from commercial influences and can only be accessed by members with the right access rights.
Parties only joining for commercial interests will not be admitted to the LIMS Academy Community.
Vendors can only be invited to provide information or a demonstration to the community in case the members so desire. Personal information will never be shared by LIMS Academy with vendors or other parties.

The LIMS selection group is guided/supported through their selection project by providing them challenges, exercises and active member interaction for them to gain the necessary skills needed to  complete the "LIMS" selection project successfully.  The LIMS Academy Founder (selection expert) will be going "Live" on a regular basis to actively support the group, share knowledge, experience, information and answer questions from group members. The group dynamic and the continuous support of a LIMS Academy expert will provide for a higher quality, more efficient en quicker "LIMS" selection project. This will prevent multiple group members from falling into the same pitfalls. Experiences with vendors can be shared and provided for valuable inside knowledge. 

The LIMS implementation group is divided into separate subgroups per LIMS software brand/vendor. This allows for mutual interaction between members implementing the same LIMS. Implementation challenges or functional/configuration issues can be shared in the community for input on ideas or solutions. Since the implementation group is intended to be worldwide and growing to significant size, we expect high impact on both implementation quality for all members as well as communication with individual vendors on community member's functional and usability needs.
LIMS Academy is open to organize regular live interactions with experts on certain topics or with vendors concerning potential mutual functional challenges. 

As always, the key to success is a community with members that are willing to "Engage, Learn & Share".

Please visit the LIMS Academy Community Product Page for more information on both the selection and implementation community groups.

You can apply to join the LIMS Academy Community through the Community Page mentioned above or go straight to the Community Application Page. There are certain restrictions in place to qualify for admittance to the group, these restrictions are also outlined on the Community Page.
 

The LIMS Academy Selection Community or Implementation Community yearly subscription fee is kept low at Euro 150  excl. VAT/BTW  /member/year.

Membership of a LIMS Academy Community should be within reach of all companies selecting or implementing a "LIMS" solution, so share this message and apply for membership!

The LIMS Academy Community will open as soon as a certain number of member applicants is reached to ensure that all members get their moneys worth. 
Invoices and payment instructions will be send upon opening of the community, access information will be send after payment has been received.

"LIMS" Selection & Implementation Coaching 

LIMS Academy will also offer one-on-one coaching for individual "LIMS" selection and/or implementation projects. The coaching will be tailored towards your project team's individual needs.
During an intake session with a LIMS Academy consultant/coach, we will identify your specific needs and translate that into an offer for a dedicated coaching package.
Coaching will be done through online sessions (~ 1,5 hours/session) on a specific topic or project stage. The coaching package offered will contain a certain number of online sessions and the topics you want covered. The online sessions can be expanded with hands-on activities at extra cost. 

 LIMS Selection & Implementation Coaching package provides:

• Online LIMS selection/implementation coaching sessions throughout the entire selection/implementation project.
• A proven project approach (used in 60+ successful selection projects in several market sectors)
• Project structure, what (not) to do and how to avoid pitfall, mistakes and bad choices. 
• Our LIMS market/solution knowledge & experience.
• Our network of Lab Informatics selection & implementation experts.
• Access to the LIMS Academy Community (first year for one person)
• Documentation templates (URS, RFP, score charts, demo case, project plan etc)

Please visit the LIMS Selection & Implementation Coaching Product Page for more information!

Register here for "LIMS" Selection Coaching!

Register here for "LIMS" Implementation Coaching!

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