LIMS: An automating or informating technology?

The concept of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) is well established, yet almost half of the implementations have fallen short of expectation (chapter 2, this volume). Why should this be? In an age where practically all laboratory instruments have microprocessor-based controllers, less than half of the laboratories surveyed had ‘some’ instruments electronically linked to the LIMS database [1]. Why is this? The literature is replete with advice on how to specify, select and implement a LIMS [2–6 for reviews], yet still a successful implementation apparently eludes many laboratories. Could it be that LIMS specifiers, implementors and vendors have an unconscious, hidden agenda that restricts the usefulness of the current generations of LIMS? Or is the view of what a LIMS is too narrow to be of practical use? What new approach is necessary to enable LIMS technology? These issues will be addressed further in this and subsequent chapters.