Project

Lab automation pilot plan & evaluation checklist

Interactive project template and checklist to plan, run, evaluate, and record focused lab automation pilots — captures scope, metrics, integration needs, risks, cost, go/no-go decision, and scaling plan.

Interactive Tool

Lab automation pilot plan & evaluation checklist

Use this interactive project template to capture the key decisions, scope, metrics, risks, integrations, and evaluation outcomes for a focused lab automation pilot. Completing the form creates a persistent pilot record you can revisit during execution and use as the basis for a go/no-go decision and scalable rollout.

Short descriptive name for this pilot (e.g., Plate prep automation - QC lab).
Who is responsible for planning and delivering the pilot? Include role and contact info.
Planned start date (YYYY-MM-DD or rough week).
Expected pilot length in weeks.
Describe current manual problems, error modes, bottlenecks, or quality issues motivating automation.
List specific steps the automation will perform or impact (be explicit about start/end handoffs).
Describe sample or assay types and any special handling requirements.
Select systems that must exchange data with the automation solution.
Describe specific interfaces, data formats, owners, authentication, and testing plan.
Has a formal risk and safety review (including process hazards, sample cross-contamination risk, electrical/safety checks) been completed?
List known risks, likelihood, impact, and planned mitigations (e.g., contamination controls, fail-safes, QA checks).
Choose the outcomes you will measure to evaluate success.
Define any custom metrics, measurement method, baseline, and measurement frequency (e.g., baseline error rate = X%, measure on Y runs).
A simple expectation score to help prioritize and compare pilots.
1.0 10.0
1.0 10.0
Include hardware, integration, labor, consumables, and external services for pilot duration.
If measurable, record target cost per run that would support scaling.
List roles/time required (e.g., automation engineer 0.4 FTE, lab tech 0.2 FTE, IT integration 0.1 FTE).
Who must sign off on go/no-go and scaling decisions?
When will you collect intermediate metrics and when is the final evaluation?
Define the minimum measurable outcomes required to proceed (e.g., ≥30% error reduction and cost per run ≤ $X).
Summarize the evidence used for the recommendation, referencing measured metrics and thresholds.
Outline requirements to scale (standards, SOPs, training, maintenance, monitoring, procurement).
How will you capture lessons, update procedures, and share knowledge across teams?
Who will own follow-up actions, scaling activities, or archiving pilot artifacts?
Link to vendor docs, SOP drafts, risk assessments, integration specs, or data files.
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