Does lab equipment need to be designed?

October 2, 2020

When it comes to everyday objects it is no question that we expect that they are well crafted and beautifully designed to match what we perceive to be a great product.

Today, in times when the corona virus is a topic of highest priority and global concern, product categories most of us have never thought about, are coming into focus. One of these categories is laboratory equipment and its importance to help our society.
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So what does it take to design great lab equipment?

Lab equipment is needed by virologists, medical researchers or laboratory staff who, on a daily basis, try to find answers human mankind has not answered yet - probably one of the hardest jobs in our current times. To help them achieve the best possible results, even when under a lot of pressure, they need reliable tools that perfectly support them.

In a field where these highly complex tasks pair with a very low threshold between failure and success, it is of great importance that laboratory staff can completely focus on their work procedures and fully trust their instruments & tools. A superior physical user experience is crucial. These hardware products act as an extension of the user and create the bridge between human and the microscopic world of viruses, bacterias and molecules. To conceive the perfect tool, many requirements need to be considered during the development including ergonomics, precision, reliability, repetition, usability, hygiene.

We as design specialists for lab equipment significantly support our clients in that field by closely collaborating. We start by understanding and analyzing the user behavior, come up with innovative concepts, test these and also competitors' products together with the user in order to gain insights and support the successful market implementation.

Putting care and effort into designing lab equipment is something we really enjoy. And it is truly rewarding: after all, we have the privilege of imagining that we are helping to make the everyday lives of our current secret heroes a little easier.