Workshop on Electronic Laboratory Notebooks
13 November 2024, online
Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN) are software applications that allow research data to
be recorded, managed and structured electronically. Ideally, they support the entire research
process from planning, execution and evaluation of the experiment to publication of the results,
and even later for open reuse.
ELNs have increasingly replaced paper notebooks over the last two decades, but adopting them is challenging; it requires the willingness by all involved to document analyses and experiments differently. In addition, the multitude of ELN products on the market makes choosing one complex. To address this complexity, Laserlab Europe organised a workshop where several users presented the pros and cons of many ELNs - eLABFTW, Labforlder, Labtrove -, their experiences with in-house solutions and discussed what questions should be answered when selecting an ELN.
Choosing an ELN is a complex issue, with the conclusion being that researchers must first decide what they can expect from it, how it fits in with their own resources, and what the ELN should make better and easier. In other words, the ideal software application depends on the type of facility or experiment, on the type of data generated and on the tools/equipment used (whose characteristics and parameters need to be integrated). Experienced users emphasized that without competence, commitment and compliance of all users, as well as appropriate training of the younger researchers, these software applications become worthless.
Discussions highlighted that an “ideal” ELN must include a user-friendly interface, proper file management and search tool, as well as extended import-export-migration options. It must allow for secured, GDPR-compliant multiple - simultaneous – online access, be flexible (to track changes along a whole project’s life) and open source. However, there are practical problems with this latter requirement, such as sustainability. Nevertheless, the fact that these tools significantly reduce the time required to run and document experiments, and improve data integrity and compliance, makes the investment in ELN deployment worthwhile.
The workshop was a stepping-stone for many of Laserlab Europe's APIs who took the opportunity to gain first hand insight into the ELN market, understand the costs and legal issues they need to be aware of and consider software integration when choosing ELN software.
The ambition now is to plan further follow up workshops where scientists can test the interfaces in a peer exchange, so that institutions looking for an application or looking to upgrade their current software can get a more accurate idea of the products and make a well- informed decision.
ELNs have increasingly replaced paper notebooks over the last two decades, but adopting them is challenging; it requires the willingness by all involved to document analyses and experiments differently. In addition, the multitude of ELN products on the market makes choosing one complex. To address this complexity, Laserlab Europe organised a workshop where several users presented the pros and cons of many ELNs - eLABFTW, Labforlder, Labtrove -, their experiences with in-house solutions and discussed what questions should be answered when selecting an ELN.
Choosing an ELN is a complex issue, with the conclusion being that researchers must first decide what they can expect from it, how it fits in with their own resources, and what the ELN should make better and easier. In other words, the ideal software application depends on the type of facility or experiment, on the type of data generated and on the tools/equipment used (whose characteristics and parameters need to be integrated). Experienced users emphasized that without competence, commitment and compliance of all users, as well as appropriate training of the younger researchers, these software applications become worthless.
Discussions highlighted that an “ideal” ELN must include a user-friendly interface, proper file management and search tool, as well as extended import-export-migration options. It must allow for secured, GDPR-compliant multiple - simultaneous – online access, be flexible (to track changes along a whole project’s life) and open source. However, there are practical problems with this latter requirement, such as sustainability. Nevertheless, the fact that these tools significantly reduce the time required to run and document experiments, and improve data integrity and compliance, makes the investment in ELN deployment worthwhile.
The workshop was a stepping-stone for many of Laserlab Europe's APIs who took the opportunity to gain first hand insight into the ELN market, understand the costs and legal issues they need to be aware of and consider software integration when choosing ELN software.
The ambition now is to plan further follow up workshops where scientists can test the interfaces in a peer exchange, so that institutions looking for an application or looking to upgrade their current software can get a more accurate idea of the products and make a well- informed decision.
