Overview
Petrifilm™ Plate Manager System
Petrifilm™ Plate Manager is a fully integrated hardware and software system designed to reduce labor time, automate microbial testing analysis, and minimize human error. The system streamlines lab workflows and improves consistency across testing environments.
Objective
To design an MVP for high-volume throughput labs that simplifies workflows, improves accuracy and decision making, and standardizes outcomes across technicians.
➜ What we delivered
Content-aware system software that enhances system visibility with real-time status, progress, and results feedback. It supports technicians with guided error resolution during workflow interruptions and introduces structured review states to mark plates as reviewed and completed, improving traceability and workflow control.
Company
Neogen/3M
Role
UX Design Lead
Year
2022-2024
Platform
Desktop PC application
Preliminary research
Operating environment
High-volume food safety testing labs, food and beverage manufacturing facilities, and third-party contract labs that produce more than 100K samples annually rely on automated systems to ensure accuracy and speed.
Preliminary Research
Proto-personas
Establish a foundation for user behavioral data based on real-time insights, addressing key user pain points identified from customer feedback, support tickets, and sales reports.
Primary user
Lab Technician
Pain points
- Unclear or inconsistent setup leads to errors before tests even begin
- Error states are hard to understand or recover from
- Interruptions and distractions break workflow continuity
- Lack of confidence when results need validation
Goals
- Ensure technicians can run large batches efficiently and consistently
- Standardize processes using presets and controlled configurations
Roles
- Execute test workflows—plate preparation, loading, running tests
- Follow predefined presets and lab protocols
- Depend on lab manager configurations—presets, data fields
Behaviors
- Works in loud, high-distraction environments
- Operates in cluttered or space-constrained areas
- May rush or lose focus under pressure
- Relies on simple, guided workflows over complex decision-making
Secondary user
Lab Manager
Pain points
- Inconsistent execution across technicians leads to unreliable results
- Limited visibility into technician actions and errors
- Data inconsistencies create downstream issues in LIMS
- Training new technicians is time-intensive and difficult to scale
Goals
- Ensure consistency and quality across all testing
- Improve efficiency through standardization (presets)
- Maintain accuracy and data integrity (LIMS)
Roles
- Configure presets—plate types, dilutions, data fields—and support technicians
- Oversee technician workflows and output
- Validate data is captured correctly in LIMS
- Train and support technicians
- Step in for exceptions—escalations, gaps, high-priority samples
Behaviors
- Prioritizes speed + oversight over hands-on execution
- Experiences cognitive overload / decision fatigue
- Frequently multitasking across people and systems
- Monitors multiple technicians simultaneously
Empathize and understand
Understanding key problems
Inconsistent or unreliable outcomes
Inconsistency in how tests are run and recorded can cause errors and lower confidence in results.
Poor system visibility & error recovery
It’s hard to see what went wrong or why, making notifications or errors difficult to fix and learn from.
Workflow sensitivity interrupts progress
Small interruptions or mistakes can disrupt the entire workflow
High cognitive load & low confidence
Users aren’t as confident they’re doing things correctly or interpreting the results accurately.
Empathize and understand
Learning the current system
The current reader is designed to automatically enumerate 11 different plate types that uses fixed artificial intelligence (AI) networks to capture a high-resolution image that identify and count colonies automatically, improving consistency and minimizing human error. The Plate Reader Advanced processes one plate every 6 seconds or less, reducing manual enumeration time by up to 94%.
Prototype & User testing
User acceptance validation
Working with industrial designers, engineers, ux designers, developers, scientists, and other stakeholders to identify the primary workflows we need to build and MVP for launch. Through user acceptance validation we observed and recorded live-clients to validate that the product would meet their specific needs and expectations.
Customer sessions
Each customer signed a CDA prior to participating in the session. During the conference, we conducted intercept usability testing with several key clients. This gave us a real-world context of use that we simply can’t replicate with internal technician testing.
2
Full work days
17
Real-world customers
10
Minute testing session
78%
of participants
Initially had trouble loading plates and need help getting started.
50%
of participants
Will need tech-support for Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) integration.
50%
of participants
Are currently adding barcode labels to each plate manually.
Define and ideate
Key system workflows
Developing an MVP
1
Initiate plate runs
Fast setup with minimal input
2
Review results
Clear outputs with high confidence
3
Handle exceptions
Resolve issues without breaking workflow
4
Continue batch processing
Support uninterrupted, high-volume processing
5
Respond to notifications
Surface issues without disrupting focus
Prototype & User testing
User testing sessions
6 participants & 5 key workflows—In-house participants include—Customer success team, Microbiologists & Engineers.
User testing
Observations outlined by task
1
Initiate plate runs
Fast setup with minimal input
Observations
- Users need a more explicit first action or system prompt—unclear starting cues increase cognitive load at entry.
50% of users needed help to get started despite the system being ready.
2
Review results
Clear outputs with high confidence
Observations
- Plate images and details could be larger or zoomable to support quick identification.
- The system should explicitly display to users all incomplete plates instead of requiring guesswork.
33% of participants encountered unexpected system errors during result review.
3
Handle exceptions
Resolve issues without breaking workflow
Observations
- The system should diagnose device maintenance by providing clear next steps to prevent workflow interruption.
- Key transition points require guidance to support continuous workflow.
- Exception handling should reduce cognitive load for technicians at any given transition point.
100% of participants struggled to locate the correct plates when handling exceptions.
4
Continue batch processing
Support uninterrupted, high-volume processing
Observations
- Users need clear guidance to continue processing plates.
100% of participants hesitated or were unsure how to respond when the input bin is empty.
5
Respond to notifications
Surface issues without disrupting focus
Observations
- Display actionable next steps to reduce reduce reliance on tech support.
- Users require contextualized errors to reduce confusion and improve trust in the system
100% of participants experienced workflow interruptions when errors occurred.
moving from manual to Automated plate feeding
How can we increase task efficiency and trust by minimizing unpredictable decisions and workflow interruptions?
What we aim to improve
Design goals
Reduce setup time
Minimize manual input to support high-volume processing.
Standardize workflows
Use presets to reduce variability across technicians.
Enable interruption & recovery
Allow users to pause, resume, and continue without losing progress.
Support error resolution
Provide clear, actionable feedback and independent error resolution.
Display information in context
Prioritize relevant information to reduce cognitive load.
Final solution
Petrifilm™ Automated Feeder introduces hands-free plate feeding. Allows technicians to continue other tasks reducing idle time between steps. The system runs in the background, automatically interpretating and sorting plates. The automated feeder can process up to 300 plates in approximately 33 minutes..
The software application was developed as part of the Petrifilm™ automation package and supports core tasks such as plate identification with barcode scanning, automated colony counting, and data capture. It integrates with existing laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and reduces reliance on manual data entry—helping ensure accuracy, traceability, and repeatability in regulated lab environments.
Work in progress, but worth the wait