Bridging the Gap Between Scientists and Algorithms
Industry
Life Sciences / R&D
Scope
Change Management / User Experience (UX) / Digital Onboarding / Training
Timeframe
6 months
-
4
specific user journeys
mapped and optimized -
6
months
-
0
manual "Excel islands" remaining
01
CLIENT
An innovative biotech facility striving for a "Lights Out" operation model. Despite having advanced tools, the client faced "Digital Hesitancy"—where highly skilled scientists preferred manual methods over new digital platforms.
02
BUSINESS NEEDS
The client identified a "Trust Deficit" where operators experienced "Black Box Anxiety" regarding automation algorithms. The goal was to transform passive users into "Digital Operators," ensuring the ROI of the implemented technologies.
03
CHALLENGE
To help our client achieve its goals, we overcome the following challenges:
-
The "Paper" Habit
Deeply ingrained habits of using paper notebooks and USB drives for data transfer. -
Risk Aversion
Fear that automation (e.g., auto-foam control) would fail, leading operators to keep systems in "Manual Mode." -
Knowledge Gap
Lack of structured onboarding meant users didn't understand how the digital tools worked, leading to mistrust.
04
SOLUTION
We shifted focus from code to culture, deploying a comprehensive program designed to build trust and competence. The solution entailed:
- UX-Driven Redesign Revamped user interfaces (Grafana) based on scientist feedback to make them intuitive and transparent, removing the "Black Box" feel.
- Structured Onboarding Paths Created tailored learning journeys for different roles (e.g., Upstream Scientist vs. Bio-process Engineer), moving beyond generic tutorials.
- "Shadowing" & Feedback Loops Implemented a process where digital teams shadowed scientists to understand their pain points, directly translating frustrations into feature fixes.
- Trust Building Introduced "Sandbox" environments where operators could test automation safely, proving its reliability before live production.
Technology adoption doesn't happen in the server room; it happens at the lab bench. By addressing 'Black Box Anxiety' and designing for the human user, we turned digital skepticism into digital fluency, unlocking the true potential of the automated lab.
Jacek Fischbach
Delivery Executive
Technology used
05
OUTCOME
The program significantly increased the utilization of digital tools and reduced reliance on manual workarounds. By bridging the gap between physical production environments and digital intelligence, the solution enabled the company to operate with greater agility, reduce downtime, and create a more engaged, skilled workforce.
- Cultural Shift Observable transition from "tethered to the bench" monitoring to remote digital supervision.
- Increased Utilization Higher activation rates of automated features (e.g., auto-pumping) previously ignored.
- Data Integrity Reduction in manual data entry errors as users embraced direct digital inputs.
06
IMPLEMENTED SOLUTION
-
User Journeys
4 Specific User Journeys – Mapped and optimized. -
Adoption Rate
High adoption rate – Increase in active daily users of the platform. -
Process Efficiency
Elimination of key manual "Excel islands" in the process. -
Digital Fluency
Transforming passive users into "Digital Operators."
-
4
specific user journeys
mapped and optimized -
6
months
-
0
manual "Excel islands" remaining
