The opinions of physical chemists Isobel Hogg and Alisa Becker January 2015 Todays aims Introduction to the project Methodology Results Barriers to implementation Impressions and conclusions ID: 935048
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Slide1
Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs)
The opinions of physical chemists
Isobel Hogg and Alisa Becker
January 2015
Slide2Today’s aims
Introduction to the project
Methodology
Results
Barriers to implementation
Impressions and conclusions
Next steps
Slide3What is an ELN and why are we interested?
“
An electronic lab notebook (also known as electronic laboratory notebook, or ELN) is a
computer program designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks
.”
1Interest in ELNs in place of paper lab notebooks has increased in recent years, most notably in the pharmaceutical industry e.g. Accelrys and LABTrackFaraday Division Council expressed concerns that ELNs may not meet the needs of physical chemistsWe decided to interview a range of members of the physical chemistry community to assess their needs for ELNs
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_lab_notebook
Slide4Methodology
20 telephone interviews with physical chemists
All academics
50% supervisors, 50% group members (post-graduate students & post docs)
Slide5Location of interviewees
Slide6Areas of research
Slide7Interview themes
Problems with
current ways
of working
User
experiences of ELNsAttitudes to data sharingSuggested requirements for ELNsPracticalities System design (interface, archiving, narration)Features
Slide81. Problems with current ways of working
There is often a
lack
of
narrative
and poor levels of note taking (90%)Difficult to find previous work / no effective data management system (75%)
Slide9Lack of narrative and poor levels of
note taking
70% of supervisors and 80% of
group members said this
Suggested reasons included:
Illegible handwritingTime consumingNot considered a priority at the time Not realising how difficult it would be to remember what the work was until it was too lateBeing partially sightedLazinessResearchers found this to be a problem with both their own work AND that of former group members
Slide10Difficulties finding
previous
work
“I’m quite worried that when I come to write things up it is going to be a struggle”
“Very few people leave behind one comprehensive source where all their data is”
“We have stacks of lab books but they are often hard to decipher and not very well organised” “We have big issues looking at other people’s work once they have left”“I often end up repeating work”
Slide112. Experience of ELNs and current use
Breakdown of the 30% who had experience:
The
“experience and don’t use”
were all group members
The “experience and use” were all supervisors
Slide12Experience of data management systems/ELNs
DM Systems:
General digital notebook (i.e. OneNote)
Spreadsheet
Database
Slide13Requirement for a data management system
Slide14Quotes from researchers on the prospect of using an ELN
“I’d be very open to the idea of using one [an ELN] but none of the teams I’ve worked in have had them”
“A better archiving process would save me hours of time
”
“A software version where you can move all your data around and keep it in one place is very appealing”“I need a program that makes recording and managing all information related to my research easy and
quick”
“
It makes more sense to make the whole thing electronic”
“I’d definitely be open to the idea of using one
”
Slide15User experiences of ELNs
Benefits
Good to have a central
data storage place for
everything
Improved accessibility to data“It works really well in terms of getting the dialogue and discussion”
Slide16User experiences of ELNs
Difficulties
Great
idea but performed really
badly
Many well developed ELNS are unaffordable for academia“The big hurdle is getting people to not write notes in lab books on the side”“Inability to write equations is what stopped us using it”“Poor ability to tabulate data”
Slide173. Attitudes to data sharing
20% yes were group members
1
0% yes were group members
Slide184. Suggested r
equirements
for ELNs
Practicalities
System
design (interface, archiving, narration)Features
Slide19Practicalities
One comprehensive source
which keeps everything together (65%)
One central place (i.e. like
D
ropbox) through which they can access all their work, including data.Portable with flexible accessibility (60%)The ability to move the lab book around the lab and for themselves and their group to view the information from anywhereAffordable with reliable and well maintained IT infrastructureFunding for hardware and softwareOngoing costs need considerationMust be available on different operating systems (60%)
Slide20System design
Effective interface design – both flexible and structured templates
, easy,
intuitive,
effective
& quick to use interface with a systematic logging system (95%)Easy way to record narrative and improve note taking (90%)Improve organisational structure of own work with an easy to use data archiving/storage system that is searchable (60%)
Slide21Features
Different access
rights, a
digital time stamp, electronic signatures,
and
track changes/roll-back functionalityAbility to create links to outputs from experimentsAbility to draw graphs, write equations, enter tables, experimental set-up sketches digitally and with a hand stylus/ drawing tool
Slide22Features continued…
General Features
Physical Features
Ability
to l
ink to..Molecular graphic systemEquation writerPhysical portability around the lab Mathematica, Matlab, LabviewAutomatic
graph drawing
Electronic signature /
Digital time stamp
Hand stylus/ drawing tool
Jpg
files, ASCII files,
potentio
stat files
Automated
storing of equipment parameters
Mark/flag/tag files like in Outlook
Video
PDFs, instrument manuals, group presentations, posters
Templates
Hover-over definitions
Webcam
Spectra
Automatic file name generation
Security/password protection
Chemical resistant/waterproof (tablet case)
Literature
Suitable for different operating systems
Different
a
ccess rights
Voice recording/ recognition
Screen
prints
“Free” interface
Roll back system
Photoshop
Tables
Searchable
Slide23Barriers to Implementation
Timing of the switch will effect how easy it is for researchers to change their way of working
It
might not be possible to implement all suggested
features e.g.
Photoshop and being affordableA handwriting tool and being searchableWhen work is visible to others, it may affect what researchers recordCosts and infrastructure may affect use in academia
Slide24The physical chemistry community have limited experience of ELNs
There’s enthusiasm and positive attitude towards:
t
he concept of an ELN
a
data management system improvements in narrative recording and organisation of dataIt isn't enough to develop an electronic version of a paper notebook – there are other requirementsImpressions & Conclusions