Association of

Laboratory Managers

This workshop presents the mission and function of the analytical enterprise along with ways to improve the quality, performance and evaluation of the laboratory. This workshop is for new managers and for present managers and supervisors who want a fresh look at ways to manage the chemical analysis support laboratory.

Key topics include:

• Laboratory mission and functions
• Aligning lab with business
• Ways to organize/restructure
• Laboratory design and work flow
• Selection of costly instruments
• Good laboratory operations
• Ways to avoid crises and handle complaints
• Recognition and rewards
• Managers leadership style
• Network with other laboratory managers

Workshop Leader: Dr. Claude Lucchesi has had 14 years of management experience with Shell, Sherwin-Williams and Mobil Chemical. Since 1968 he has been the Director of the Analytical Services Laboratory (ASL) at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. In 1995, he became an Emeritus Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and the Consulting Director for the ASL. Dr. Lucchesi was a cofounder of ALMA and served as its first President. He was the first recipient of the ALMA Distinguished Service Award in Laboratory Management Sponsored by Agilent Technologies.

This workshop takes a strategic view of the laboratory system in the context of current quality management philosophies to determine options for achieving best practices. Experiences will be shared to provide insight into the obstacles and expected outcomes for the various approaches. The workshop is designed for current managers who are seeking innovative ways to improve operations and to develop closer connections with the business.

Key topics include:

• Insuring analytical quality
• Setting and maintaining staffing standards
• Managing physical assets
• Setting and measuring service standards
• Selecting the right organizational structure
• Relationship management
• Information systems
• Quality standards and benchmarking
• Safety performance
• Setting staff objectives
• Financial performance

You will learn how laboratories are applying current management philosophies to get closer to the business and to streamline operations. Practical details of laboratory management such as cost control, maintaining analysis quality, improving laboratory reputation, effective staffing, capital budget justification, and so forth will be discussed but the emphasis will be on systems rather than daily operational issues. Workshop participants are expected to share experiences and best practices.

Workshop Leader: Dr. Wayne Collins has managed the laboratories of BP Solvay Polyethylene NA in Deer Park, Texas since 1987. During this time, he led the laboratories through significant change based upon total quality management and cost reduction initiatives. Experiences in the change process have been chronicled in numerous articles published in Managing the Modern Laboratory. Wayne served as the President of ALMA for the year 2000, publishes the ALMA e-News, and is the current Editor of Managing the Modern Laboratory.

This course will explain the importance of laboratory performance management and improvement in todays business environment. It will also describe how commonly accepted business techniques can be adopted to monitor, measure and improve laboratory performance.

Key topics include:

• Process mapping
• Gap analysis
• Kaplan and Nortons Balanced Scorecard
• Benchmarking and Best Practices
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for managing customer relations
• Activity Based Costing (ABC) and Time Is Money (TISMO) accounting systems
• Management simulation techniques
• Optimizing the data supply chain
• Obtaining real benefits from lab IT systems
• Building and managing relationships with suppliers
• Project management and success measures
• People issues and change management

Workshop Leaders: Dr. Gordon Logan and Dr. Simon Wood of Labformatics Ltd., which focuses on the delivery of Laboratory Technology Systems and Services to improve laboratory business management and productivity. Between them Gordon and Simon have over 30 years experience in the area of laboratory informatics and automation. Gordon was the Managing Director and Simon the Service Director of the worlds largest LIMS and CDS supplier. Their particular interests are the delivery of lab management excellence, the use of metrics and people-based improvement systems, effective full-cycle system implementation and the alignment of the lab and lab IT strategy with overall business planning.