• Question: what happens when your job hits a problem do you start over or try another way to try it

    Asked by dean520phew on 21 Mar 2025.
    • Photo: Andreea Claudia Toma

      Andreea Claudia Toma answered on 21 Mar 2025:

      Experiencing problems in the lab or while conducting quality control, it’s like running into a puzzle that just needs a bit more thought to solve. First it’s important to take a deep breath and not panic. Problems are a natural part of any job, including being a lab technician or QC analyst!
      Typically, the first step is to troubleshoot and analyze what went wrong. Was there a deviation in the process? Did the equipment function as expected? Collecting this information can help you understand whether the issue was a one-time mistake or part of a bigger problem. It’s essential to document everything, as this data will be valuable for future reference.
      If the problem persists or seems complex, it might be wise to consult with a colleague or supervisor to gather different perspectives on how to address it effectively.
      Starting over might seem daunting, but it’s sometimes the best choice especially if the error could affect the accuracy of your results.

    • Photo: John Grasmeder

      John Grasmeder answered on 25 Mar 2025:

      I reckon about 90% of the experiments we do actually do not give us the answer we want. So we are always figuring out new ways to do things. In that way science is a bit like a puzzle. We learn a lot from the things that don’t work and that helps us figure out how to get to the answers we need to make new materials and new products. Once we think we’ve figured out how to do something then we try it again and again to make sure we can do it all the time like that.

    • Photo: Martin McCoustra

      Martin McCoustra answered on 26 Mar 2025:

      Being a laboratory scientist is always about problems solving… That is one of the skills you are taught in your undergraduate training. Sometimes I might try to work around a problem but other I will go back to the basics and rebuild. It really depends on the problem.

Comments

  • Photo: Andreas

    Andreas commented on :

    Solving problems is the main part of the job. To quote Einstein: “If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”. Problems do range from the very interesting to the really annoying. The trick is to be systematic about how you tackle it. Recording failure is almost as important as finding a solution. Edison famously said : “‘I have not failed, but found 1000 ways to not make a light bulb‘”!