In today’s fast-paced research and testing environments, labs are expected to do more with less—faster, more accurately, and with fewer resources. Whether you’re running diagnostics, supporting product development, or managing clinical trials, the pressure to optimize operations is real.
At Ganttic, we work with teams across industries—including scientific labs and research institutions—to help them plan smarter. This guide offers practical, real-world advice to improve your lab’s efficiency, along with a closer look at how Ganttic’s resource planning software can support your goals.
Why Lab Efficiency Matters (Now More Than Ever)
Efficiency isn’t just about speed. In a laboratory, it means reducing errors, improving accuracy, maximizing uptime, and ensuring your team and equipment are being used wisely. Inefficiency shows up as late results, staff burnout, misused equipment, or just plain wasted time.
That’s why more labs are turning to resource planning tools like Ganttic—not only to schedule equipment and personnel, but to get better visibility across all lab operations.
How is Laboratory Efficiency Measured?
Monitoring a lab’s efficiency requires tracking various key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs provide data about the lab’s health and performance, reflecting overall productivity, output quality, and operational performance. They can generally be grouped into four main categories: operational metrics, quality assurance metrics, productivity metrics, and business metrics.
Operational metrics focus on the day-to-day efficiency of lab processes. This includes turnaround time (TAT), which measures how long it takes to complete a task, as well as on-time start and completion rates, which show how well the lab adheres to its schedule.
Quality assurance metrics evaluate the reliability and accuracy of lab results. These include success rates, error rates, and compliance with standard operating procedures.
Productivity metrics assess output relative to available resources. Common examples include the number of tests performed within a given time frame and how efficiently equipment is used.
Business metrics reflect the financial and strategic side of lab operations. These may include cost per test, overall revenue, and levels of customer satisfaction.
The metrics mentioned here are only a sample. Many other KPIs may be relevant depending on the lab’s specialty, such as hematology, microbiology, immunology, or other disciplines.
How to Improve Lab Efficiency?
Labs can improve efficiency, which will result in increased productivity, reduced costs, and more accurate results. While each lab should take steps based on its specific activities and size, these general strategies offer a starting point.
Map Your Workflows and Find the Bottlenecks
The first step to improving lab efficiency is understanding how your processes actually work.
Use process mapping to visualize workflows—sample intake, analysis, documentation—and look for gaps or redundancies. Tools like “5 Whys” or Fishbone diagrams can help identify the root causes of recurring issues.
With Ganttic, you can go beyond mapping. Use visual timelines and drag-and-drop scheduling to create workflow plans, assign tasks, and balance workloads in real time.
Plan Lab Resources in Advance
Many labs operate reactively—dealing with last-minute requests, unexpected demand, or missing resources. Instead, adopt a proactive approach.
Analyze historical data to forecast future needs. Create clear protocols for each test. Schedule staff and machines in advance to avoid conflicts and ensure maximum utilization.
Ganttic’s lab scheduling software lets you plan your personnel, instruments, and projects in one place. See who’s available, prevent double-bookings, and adjust in real-time when things change.
Real Lab Example: University Research Lab Improves Equipment Planning
The Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics (LAT) at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki uses Ganttic to coordinate complex test schedules for vehicle powertrain research. With numerous engineers and shared testing equipment, LAT needed a way to avoid conflicts and better manage time. Ganttic helped them centralize planning, visualize availability, and improve coordination across research teams.
Read the full case study here.
Optimize Layout and Lab Design
The physical setup of your lab can have a surprising impact on efficiency. Use lean methods like “5S“ and “spaghetti diagram” analysis to reduce unnecessary movement.
Ganttic helps coordinate these layout changes by making it easy to visualize when and where resources are being used—allowing for a more logical lab setup that mirrors actual workflows.
Invest in Reliable Equipment—and Maintain It
Equipment downtime is a top efficiency killer. Avoid it by buying quality and building a maintenance routine. Track calibrations, repairs, and replacement cycles.
Hire biomedical engineers or partner with a trusted provider to keep things running smoothly. You can use Ganttic to schedule regular maintenance tasks alongside operational work—ensuring downtime is planned, not disruptive.
Train Your Team and Share Knowledge
Even the best equipment can’t save you from poorly trained staff. Make ongoing training part of your lab culture. Develop internal experts, offer external training opportunities, and keep documentation up-to-date.
Ganttic helps lab managers align training schedules with operational needs—so you’re never short-staffed when someone’s learning something new.
Standardize and Document Processes
Clear SOPs eliminate guesswork. Use shared documents, quick reference guides, and searchable databases to give everyone easy access to procedures.
This is especially effective when paired with a centralized scheduling system. Ganttic’s customizable fields and notes let you embed documentation directly into task plans—ensuring that no one skips a step.
Automate Repetitive Tasks
From data entry to sample routing, automation is a game changer. Automate what you can to free up human brainpower for higher-level work.
Pair automation with Ganttic’s resource visibility tools so you can measure ROI—track how many hours are saved and how productivity improves when humans aren’t stuck doing repetitive tasks.
Get Serious About Data Management
Good decisions require good data. Use ELNs (Electronic Lab Notebooks), LIMS, and analytics tools to capture, organize, and analyze lab data. Centralize this information so it’s actionable.
Ganttic integrates with other tools via API, giving you a full view of both data and resources. Combine usage stats, schedule data, and KPIs into one place to inform smarter decisions.
Streamline Inventory and Supplies
Running out of reagents or expired chemicals? That’s not just annoying—it’s expensive. Implement inventory software, track expiration dates, and adopt just-in-time ordering.
Need to schedule ordering cycles or monitor storage room access? Use Ganttic to assign and track these tasks as part of your overall lab operations plan.
Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Efficiency isn’t a one-time fix. It’s about building habits, encouraging feedback, and staying flexible. Hold regular review meetings, track KPIs, and invite team suggestions.
At Ganttic, we believe resource planning isn’t just about assigning tasks. It’s about empowering teams to make smarter decisions every day. That’s why we designed our software to be visual, flexible, and easy to use—so it works the way real labs work.
Final Thoughts: Lab Efficiency Starts with Smarter Planning
Improving lab efficiency isn’t just about buying new tools or moving faster. It’s about aligning your people, equipment, and time in a way that supports both quality and speed.
If your lab is ready to make smarter planning part of your daily workflow, try Ganttic’s resource planning software. It’s already used by research labs, universities, and engineering teams worldwide—including those pushing boundaries in biomedical, automotive, and industrial research.
Plan smarter. Grow your lab’s potential.
👉 See how labs use Ganttic or Book a demo to see it in action.