Labs exist to explore, expand, and deliver on different aspects of scientific work. The quality of the output of the lab is critical for the success of any lab. Others must have confidence in the output of the lab to trust and use the data, reports, and papers generated by them. Most labs have some form of a quality management process—whether formal with accreditation and audits, or informal with internal expectations—to ensure that trust is delivered. Once the quality management expectations are understood and communicated, lab managers need to drive compliance to the expected quality standards.
Compliance is often driven by three different motivators: technical excellence, teamwork, and consequences. The more the lab can generate a culture of high-quality science, and build the respect and inclusion of the team, the less the lab manager needs to resort to consequences to ensure the high quality of the science delivered by the lab.
In this presentation, we intend to cover the following topics:
- Defining the quality processes required by the lab
- Communicating the importance of quality
- Defining appropriate quality standards and policies to ensure high-quality outcomes
- Cultivating a lab culture that will deliver high quality science and reinforce cohesive teamwork
- When consequences are required for compliance
