Electronic Lab Notebooks: Needs Analysis and Researcher Survey at the Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance (BUA), comprising Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, aims to establish a shared, secure, and controlled IT infrastructure for research data management (RDM). The BUA-funded project "Collaboratively Advancing Research Data Support" (CARDS, 2024–2026) focuses on strengthening BUA-wide support, developing sustainable RDM services, and expanding institutional capacities. CARDS consists of four sub-projects addressing different aspects of RDM: TP1 implements the Research Data Management Organiser (RDMO) with BUA-specific enhancements to support research data planning; TP2 deploys Data Stewards to improve internal and external data usability within clusters of excellence; TP3 enhances RDM competency development and training programs to meet institutional needs and foster regional and national collaborations; and TP4 focuses on the identification, evaluation, and an implementation concept of an Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) solution tailored to the requirements of BUA researchers. Currently, there is no centralized ELN solution for the BUA, with individual research groups utilizing various ELN tools such as Labfolder, eLabFTW, and Chemotion. TP4 aims to bridge this gap by conducting a needs analysis and evaluating existing ELN solutions to identify a flexible, scalable, and FAIR-compliant system. The objective is to develop an ELN solution that serves diverse research disciplines while maintaining discipline-specific functionalities. The selected ELN will be integrated into BUA's research infrastructure, ensuring efficient data management, collaboration, and compliance with open science principles. This initiative represents a strategic effort to enhance research data management, streamline interdisciplinary collaboration, and foster long-term digital sovereignty within the BUA research community. To identify ELNs that meet the requirements of modern science—including digital sovereignty, a centralized platform, and flexible, customizable user interfaces, we collected relevant information from multiple sources. First, we compiled a list of available ELNs using studies by Rubacha et al. 2011 [1], Higgins et al. 2022 [2], and ELNFinder, an online resource hosted by Technische Universität Darmstadt. Since Higgins et al. (2022) offers the most recent overview but does not cover all ELNs, and ELNFinder is not fully up to date, we conducted additional research to verify current ELN availability. We evaluated key factors and attributes such as software type (open source vs. proprietary), pricing model, customization options, integration capabilities, regulatory compliance, and data storage location. We will present the results of our evaluation of available ELNs on the market. To support our research, we conducted a survey distributed to pilot laboratories participating in this project. The survey consists of 40 questions covering various aspects, including user-friendliness, technical functionality, interoperability, and compliance. In addition to sharing the survey findings, We will also discuss best practices for conducting compliant surveys. We will provide recommendations for the most suitable ELN solutions that align with requirements of the BUA community.