In today’s fast-moving, regulation-heavy industries whether pharmaceuticals, chemicals or contract testing laboratory efficiency is no longer a luxury.
It’s a requirement.
I’ve walked through hundreds of labs over the last three decades and here’s the painful truth: most labs operate with invisible inefficiencies they’ve learned to tolerate.
Overlapping workflows.
Cluttered stations.
Redundant steps.
Staff running around to find materials instead of focusing on analysis.
And every single one of these inefficiencies costs you:
• Time
• Money
• Accuracy
• Morale
If you want a lab that’s fast, compliant, and audit-ready at all times you need intentional workflow design.
What Makes a Workflow “Work”?
Workflow isn’t just about the layout of benches and equipment.
It’s about how people, samples, instruments and data move through your space.
A great workflow should:
• Eliminate backtracking and bottlenecks
• Support both productivity and safety
• Match the reality of daily operations (not just ideal conditions)
• Be scalable as your volume increases
• Integrate compliance at every touchpoint
When those elements aren’t in place, you get:
• Delayed turnaround times
• Staff burnout
• Missed documentation steps
• Frequent errors and rework
• A system that collapses under audit pressure
Real-Life Lab Optimization: A Case Example
Let me share a story from a client I worked with recently, a mid-sized pharmaceutical QC lab.
Let’s call them “Lab Delta.”
Their issue?
They were falling behind on sample turnaround.
Their analysts were skilled and hardworking.
Their instruments were modern and well-maintained.
But the process felt clunky.
And so did the results.
What we discovered:
• Analysts shared space inefficiently, leading to collisions and confusion
• SOPs didn’t reflect the current equipment, creating workarounds
• Instruments weren’t grouped by logical testing flow
• Paper-based documentation slowed down every handoff
Our Approach
We started with a full workflow mapping audit, a floor-to-ceiling analysis of how things actually moved in the lab.
Here’s how we restructured it:
🔹 1. Station Redesign
We grouped tasks by process and not department. Prep, analysis, and post-processing stations were arranged in a logical U-shaped flow, minimizing movement and eliminating traffic overlap.
🔹 2. Storage Relocation
Materials used daily were stored within arm’s reach. Long-term storage moved out of high traffic areas. Sample intake and output were separated to prevent cross-contamination.
🔹 3. SOP Alignment
We rewrote 15 SOPs based on actual task flow — reducing gray areas that caused hesitation or skipped steps.
🔹 4. Maintenance Integration
Preventive maintenance logs were digitized and tied into workflow software, triggering alerts before instruments impacted schedules.
🔹 5. Safety Enhancements
We relocated safety equipment for visibility, ran mock drills, and assigned safety leads for every shift.
The Results
In 45 days, Lab Delta went from reactive and overworked to smooth and proactive.
They achieved:
• 26% faster sample turnaround
• Fewer deviations and repeat tests
• Improved staff morale and clarity
• Audit-ready documentation built into the workflow
Their leadership team said:
“We didn’t just fix our workflow, we rediscovered our confidence.”
Key Takeaways for Your Lab
Here’s what I recommend if you’re considering workflow optimization:
✓ Map your actual daily flow not what you think happens, but what’s really going on.
✓Start with high-impact zones, sample intake, testing, and reporting are prime bottleneck areas.
✓Listen to your team,they know what slows them down.
✓Design around people and compliance not just floor plans.
✓ Integrate audits into everyday process no scrambling before inspections.
Ready to Rework Your Lab Workflow?
If your lab is growing, struggling with speed or under pressure to perform better your workflow is the first place to look.
At David Chemical Solutions, I help labs across the globe rebuild their spaces, systems and strategies for peak performance.
Schedule a workflow consultation at davidchemicalsolutions.com.
Let’s make your lab as efficient as your science deserves.