Semester 1 2025 Web Development
Labchat
Welcome to Labchat!
Labchat addresses the critical problem that research lab members spend 41% of their time on administrative tasks instead of research. Our platform is a comprehensive, all-in-one laboratory management platform designed specifically for the University of Auckland's researchers to address the chaos within our labs. This platform centralises lab operations key including inventory management, task scheduling, equipment booking, team communication, and member management. The Problem: Lab chaos hurts research through wasted time, duplicated work, and inconsistent practices. Our Solution: A tailored, user-friendly platform that actually fits how our researchers work.
Motivation
Our client is a team of chemistry researchers based at a laboratory within the University of Auckland. Like many modern research labs, their environment is fast-paced and highly collaborative, where efficiency, safety, and streamlined organisation are paramount. Yet, despite the critical nature of their work, they, like many others in the industry, continue to rely on outdated, manual, and disconnected systems. These legacy practices result in significant inefficiencies, with researchers reportedly spending up to 42% of their time on administrative tasks each year. This loss translates to hundreds of hours of diminished productivity, creating operational bottlenecks and slowing the pace of scientific progress. The lab currently depends on ad-hoc communication, manual stock tracking, and informal scheduling, factors that compound the daily challenges of running a high-functioning research environment. Our solution is Labchat, a lab management system designed specifically for the chemistry research labs at the University of Auckland, serving as a single source of truth for the rapid dissemination of information through centralised and standardised processes. It streamlines inventory management, task scheduling, and lab-wide communication by integrating automated stock tracking for high-use chemicals and consumables, automated task assignments, and clear, structured communication. The solution addresses the shortcomings of existing systems by incorporating all the key components we identified, such as being mobile-friendly and free. It removes the department’s reliance on outdated manual methods by providing a unified platform that enhances coordination, accountability, and safety, creating an environment better suited to the world-leading research being conducted.
What Makes Labchat Different?
- Tailored for Researchers: Built specifically for the University of Auckland research community with deep understanding of lab workflows and requirements. - All-in-One Platform: Unlike existing solutions that excel in one area, Labchat provides comprehensive coverage across all lab management needs. - Built for Small Labs: Designed for small to medium-sized research labs, avoiding the complexity and cost of enterprise solutions. - Usability + Coverage + Affordability: The perfect balance of features, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness that existing solutions fail to achieve.
developed by Binary Bandits
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