Operational excellence framework &
strategy for translational medicine group
The Challenge
The client was a translational medicine group of a F500 pharmaceutical company, which provides a variety of scientific, technological, and operational services to support drug discovery and development for R&D. The demand for this group’s services had increased significantly due to overall growth of the R&D pipeline, which resulted in a multitude of operational challenges, requiring the group to undergo operational scaling to accommodate demand. Pain points indicated an amplification of existing challenges that became untenable as a result of added strain on the organization, in addition to the need for an overall operational scaling strategy to accommodate the new needs of the greater organization. Consulting and advisory services were requested to uncover and define the challenges at hand, provide solutions based on client needs, and delineate a road map to achieve the desired final state.
Key Pin Points:
- Disjointed project management
- Inefficiencies in reagent procurement
- Inconsistencies in laboratory practices
Approach
Our approach focused on three main workstreams:
- Operational Excellence, Project Management Workflow, and Dashboard:
- Identified the need for an integrated project management system to track projects consistently.
- Developed organizational charts, process maps, and a pilot dashboard for improved visibility and oversight.
- Implemented new processes for prioritization, scope definition, change control, and milestone tracking.
- Antibody Reagent Pipeline:
- Addressed inefficiencies in reagent procurement through the negotiation of vendor contracts.
- Drafted agreements with vendors to ensure consistency and traceability in reagent acquisition.
- Lab ELN and QC Practices:
- Standardized laboratory notebook tracking, auditing, and reporting processes.
- Reviewed and standardized QC practices across all R&D groups within the Translational Medicine division.
Outcomes
By addressing operational challenges using a holistic and comprehensive approach, the client achieved significant improvements in efficiency, transparency, and collaboration both within the organization and with external stakeholders. Our tailored solutions enabled the client to overcome existing pain points and scale to address the expanding needs of the organization in supporting drug discovery and development initiatives.
- Operational Excellence, Project Management Workflow, and Dashboard:
- Improved KPIs, including error rates, vendor evaluation, feedback, budget adherence, and timeline management.
- Enhanced collaboration and communication through the implementation of new tools and associated processes.
- Antibody Reagent Pipeline:
- Achieved greater uniformity and consistency in reagent acquisition across research groups.
- Increased transparency and planning capability through vendor contracts and agreements.
- Lab ELN and QC Practices:
- Established new processes and accountability structures for laboratory practices.
- Standardized QC processes and documentation, leading to improved efficiency and compliance.