Entwicklung einer Methode zur Analyse der Tätigkeitsverteilung in Laborumgebungen der Lebenswissenschaften

The laboratory environments considered in this thesis refer to research and experimental development in the life sciences. This means that the term laboratory environment does not include standardized analytical and quality assurance laboratories and excludes laboratories for industrial adaptation or product development. The term »laboratory environment« refers to the immediate spatial context of laboratories, write-up spaces, special labs, laboratory storage facilities, offices, meeting rooms and communication areas. Laboratory environments for the life sciences are changing. Important drivers are the mechanization of research processes, interdisciplinary collaboration and communication, and the increasing proportion of knowledge-based, theoretical work. These findings are only occasionally presented in the limited literature on the subject. Therefore, important aspects of the topics above have been investigated for this thesis by means of an exclusive survey. There is no scientific approach to systematically investigate space and process related aspects of life science research in the laboratory and to create a better, evidence-based platform for laboratory design. A well-founded design reaction to the predicted and perceptible changes in laboratory work can hardly be done with these prerequisites. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to develop a method for the analysis of activity distribution in laboratory environments of the life sciences. For this purpose, typical activities of life science research have been clustered into working methods. These methods are experimental work, theoretical work and communicative work. Experimental work in the laboratory consists of manual, wet-preparative activities including the use of small equipment on the laboratory bench. This working method is a constitutive feature of life science research and takes place in the laboratory. Theoretical work is essentially computer- supported and includes topics such as method and process development, data interpretation, source research, writing research reports and scientific articles as well as the laboratory journal. These tasks are usually performed at a write-up place or in an office. Communicative work in the laboratory includes, for example, the coordination of research projects and topics, financing issues, scientific lectures, discussions about methods and results as well as informal exchange. Due to the importance of communication in research, it takes place to a varying extent and character at all workspaces in the laboratory environment. The method developed in this thesis is based on two methods of investigation, self-recording and activity sampling. With this method the distribution of working methods and the locations of their execution in the laboratory environment can be examined, as well as the intensity of activities in the laboratory environment. Information regarding space efficiency can be gained by combining the recorded working methods with the number of workplaces or the space available in the laboratory environment. Additionally, this outcome can be used for evaluating laboratory environments with different design approaches. The method furthermore allows an assessment of the quality of information flow in relation to space and lab design. This is done by linking the analysis of the activity distribution with the recording of communication features. In the practical application of the method it becomes clear that the scientific approach requires a certain amount of effort but, if scaled appropriately, is well associated with a practical benefit, especially in a comparative analysis. In the application example advantages of the spatial efficiency of a modern »multi-space« laboratory became visible. It also became apparent that the design of the »multi-space« laboratory caused difficulties regarding the displacement of typical working methods from their designated workspaces because of the denser spatial and functional layout of the laboratory landscape. All in all, the lack of scientific knowledge regarding laboratory environments and the activities taking place in them surprised the author during his examination of the topic. Therefore, it is also the aim of this thesis to contribute to a clearer picture of laboratory work and design as well as supporting further research on the topic.