Design Principles

The following items were key design objectives from the outset and will continue to be rigorously applied as the product evolves:

Microbiology first

While the system will ultimately need to accommodate all common laboratory disciplines to be a useful LIMS, the primary reason for building a new open source LIMS was the need for a low cost system that can comprehensively handle the recording and surveillance of Anti Microbial Resistance in LMIC territories.

Open source

The system needs to be open source both to allow community self-support and enhancement over time and to remove any dependency on a specific organisation.

Web-based

A web-based system that runs in a client browser can be accessed from any device type (phone, tablet or PC) without the need for client-side installation or upgrades, maximizing convenience and deployment mode flexibility.  Furthermore, the UI needs to be "responsive" to device type and screen size to ensure the most optimal and readable format for the mode of access.

Flexible deployment options

Every lab and organisation is different.  Where cloud hosting is available, it can be the most convenient option, especially if technical resources are limited.  However, where internet access is unreliable or unavailable, local server install needs to be an option.  For smaller labs, it is sometimes most convenient just to have a self-contained system on a single workstation.

Multi-lingual

As the target territories span multiple continents, it is essential that multi-lingual support be available from day 1 and easy to manage.

Easy to use

It almost goes without saying that any new system should be easy to use, however complex, but where the system is potentially replacing a paper-based workflow and technical expertise is severely limited, it is paramount.  Moreover, an intuitive, streamlined user interface minimises acclimatisation and allows for efficient day to day use.

Flexible

The sheer variation in size, throughput, test methods and workflows across the diverse set of territories in scope necessitates that the system be as flexible as possible so that it is able to adapt to local needs rather than the other way around.  Consequently, almost everything in the system is configurable.  As part of the next phase, more of this configuration will be exposed to end users through an intuitive UI, although the option will always remain to have the system pre-configured to individual requirements.

Extensible

As procedures, test methods, equipment and requirements evolve, the LIMS must evolve to accommodate.  While the initial offering needs to be as flexible as possible, extensibility must also be built in to ease the addition of new functional capabilities that could not have been anticipated in full.

Connected

Where external systems are in use that are capable of interacting directly with a LIMS, without (or with limited) human intervention, it is important that SEDRI-LIMS is able to take advantage of this, so as to simplify laboratory workflows.  Examples of such systems are Hospital Information Systems, laboratory analysers and surveillance networks.  While specific integrations are the subject of phase 2, such connectivity was a key consideration in the core design.

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