Share thisA look at providing some key tools for evaluating not only software applications, but the software vendors that build and support the applications to the research community.
Commercial software applications for research facilities have been available for over 25 years but have not been widely accepted or implemented until the last ten years or so. Looking back over the last decade, there have been many changes in technology and the ways that software companies develop software that have affected the quality, functionality and accessibility of applications designed for research facilities. Like the software itself, vendors have matured and evolved as a result of feedback from users, learning from mistakes and successes, and, in the case of some research applications, learning how to address government regulations. Recently, there has been much discussion in the research community through forums like COMPMED regarding which vendors and software applications will deliver the best solutions for medical research. This article is aimed at providing the research community with some key tools for evaluating not only software applications, but the software vendors that build and support the applications.
Know What You Need
The most important tip in selecting software for a research facility is to buy what your facility needs. Every facility is different and has specific goals they wish to achieve. Your requirements should be defined by what will make your organization more successful in realizing its mission. Satisfying operational needs like automating the IACUC process, tracking animal use, creating animal orders, automating communications and notifications, managing transgenic colonies, or maintaining animal records should justify and eventually pay for the investment in research software.
Before you start looking at the available software applications, it is important to put down on paper some very basic requirements that will define what would be acceptable for your facility. Consider the following questions for defining your requirements:
• What are the key processes in your facility that contribute to the success of your mission? Some key processes might include IACUC protocol creation, submission, review, approval, and lifecycle management; animal ordering; clinical information management, etc.
• What are the key processes that hinder the success of your mission? Are there key areas that if you automated them, would provide higher levels of compliance, better access to information, or reduce the risk to the facility?
• How are the most successful organizations, that are similar to yours, performing similar processes? In relationship to other industries, the research community is comparatively small, but diverse enough that you should easily be able to find a few facilities that are similar in size and mission, that you can contact by phone, e-mail or at an AALAS meeting to discuss what solutions they have for their processes.
• Can these processes be implemented in your facility? Can you change the existing processes or are you limited by regulations or policies?
• What other parts of your organization are influenced by, or contribute to the processes in your facility? For example, does your facility need information from the IACUC on protocols that have been approved? Does the animal ordering and animal usage information need to be returned to the IACUC or regulatory affairs staff? Can you make a list of all of the people/divisions/departments that will be affected by a software application?