SciSquare - a new lab management software
max@figureten.com
Today's laboratories are entangled in a web of challenges: evolving technological demands, stringent regulatory environments, and escalating operational complexities.
Their lab management systems reflect the same struggles -- they are cumbersome and unintuitive, leading to excessive time spent on basic tasks and necessitating additional staffing for equipment procurement and operations. Our mission at SciSquare was to dissect these inefficiencies, identify their core causes, and develop a solution that alleviates these operational hurdles.
Design philosophy
Embarking on a journey to demystify the intricacies of lab management, our initial research phase centered on laboratory personnel - from technicians to managers. Our aim was to unveil the friction points within their daily workflows and identify opportunities for significant impact.
The laboratory management space is marked by outdated systems and fragmented processes, often necessitating a patchwork of inefficient solutions. Our objective was clear: to introduce a seamless, integrated platform that responds adeptly to the unique needs of today's laboratories.
Product
Integrated procurement marketplace
SciSquare’s integrated procurement marketplace simplifies product selection, comparison, and purchase. We delved deep into the procurement challenges faced by laboratories to design a module that simplifies these processes, ensuring that scientists and administrators can focus more on research and less on administrative tasks. This feature streamlines the entire procurement cycle, from vendor selection and order placement to inventory tracking and reordering. It leverages data analytics to predict supply needs, suggests optimal reorder timings, and identifies cost-saving opportunities.
Comprehensive experiment management
With experiment tracking, we aimed to arm scientists and lab managers with detailed, actionable insights into their research activities. Recognizing the complexity of experiment management, we designed this feature to offer an encompassing perspective on each experiment's lifecycle, from initiation to conclusion. Users can document every phase, annotate results, collaborate with team members, and access historical data for comparative analysis. This granular level of tracking fosters a culture of transparency and continuous improvement within research teams, enabling them to refine methodologies, replicate successes, and learn from past processes.
Inventory management
In designing the inventory management feature, our goal was to equip laboratory personnel with an intuitive and robust tool for precise inventory tracking and control. Understanding the nuanced challenges of inventory oversight in a laboratory setting, this feature was crafted to provide comprehensive visibility into all stock levels, enabling seamless monitoring and management of materials and supplies. Users can effortlessly catalog items, monitor consumption rates, set alert thresholds for low stock, and automate replenishment orders, ensuring operational continuity. The feature's capacity to maintain detailed, real-time records supports not only efficiency but also accountability, enabling labs to uphold stringent compliance standards. Such meticulous attention to inventory detail cultivates an environment of meticulousness and foresight, where resource optimization and data-driven decisions become the norm, thereby enhancing the lab's operational resilience and research integrity.
Streamlined equipment scheduling
In developing the Equipment Scheduling feature, our vision was to present laboratory professionals with a seamless, strategic tool for optimizing the use and availability of essential research apparatus. Acknowledging the critical nature of equipment utilization in the lab environment, this feature is engineered to facilitate effortless scheduling, real-time availability checks, and advanced booking capabilities. It enables users to synchronize equipment use with their research timelines, preventing bottlenecks and enhancing productivity. Moreover, the feature incorporates maintenance and calibration schedules, ensuring that equipment reliability and accuracy are maintained.
Brand identity
Learnings & takeaways
This project took more than a year from start to finish, and was an incredible learning experience for the whole team!
The private beta of SciSquare’s product is in use by multiple top laboratories.
Max Berger
figureten.com
max@figureten.com