Appian vs. Thermo Fisher Watson LIMS

Appian works great for automating manual processes and integrating multiple systems through its toolset. It gives great flexibility for establishing rules for approvals, routings, escalations, and the like. Because of the low code toolset, it's very easy to deploy and make changes as needed as processes evolve and as the organization learns to utilize the system better. Minimal maintenance is required to support the applications build on the platform. Some of the automated testing integration with tools like Jenkins is limited so that may be an issue for some.

Incentivized

Globally, the system is not very well suited. Lack of appropriate interfaces for instrument detectors is a good example. Watson lims can maintain sample traceability correctly however, it is clearly not designed for high throughput sample analysis. Our laboratory global efficiency significantly decreased upon Watson Lims implementation. New ''Analytical samples'' functionality was now well designed and have a lot of limitations. The Software validation provided and executed by the vendor is weak and showed major execution error also with poor documentation practice. Very disappointing.

Incentivized

• Allows at a glance workflow documentation which assists in the need we have for information readiation.
• Drag and drop interface for workflow development greatly speeds our apps time to market.
• Using the advanced features of Appian, we are able to create working sites in a fraction of the time it would take to do so using "traditional" development.

Incentivized

• The concept of Master assay and study assay is interesting.
• The security management can not be considered as an innovation but works correctly.

Incentivized

• Search issues when type ahead and database search are used in the same field.
• Buttons implementation where user is require[d] to click on the button description - if clicks on the button outside that text - button will not work.
• Problems with using certain off-the-shelf performance tools like WebLoad or Neoload. That is because of different dynamic variables being used internally in Appian - which these tools are unable to correlate. We are still investigating using other tools like Jmeter to overcome dynamic correlation problem for performance testing.

Incentivized

• Watson have a lot of things to improve. The software has a old user interface absolutely not up to the current software standard. The backend is even worst.
• The software has a old user interface absolutely not up to the current software standard. The backend is even worst. The system crash regularly.
• The licensing service do not works properly, half of the time we need to restart the licensing server to provide access to new users.
• The process that needs to be used to allow samples analysis a result reporting is rigid and clearly not enough flexible.
• Multiple excel macro were internally created to cover aspect not supported by the software.
• Interface between Thermo Fisher Watson Lims and Thermo Fisher Q Exactive instrument do not works. Watson Lims cannot interface neither with current version of WinNonLin software. This is a major lack.

Incentivized

We recently renewed our license with Appian. We are convinced that its flexibility, relative ease of use, the support they provide, there mobile advancements and their general willingness and desire to see us succeed all contributed to our reason to renew our agreement with Appian

Appian is a low code environment, because of this, a very good visual interface is required. Appian is providing a feature-rich dashboard [that] we can use for building the dashboards and other interfaces. Appian also provides patches and releases to enhance these features. A developer can start off development just by going through a basic course from the Appian learning community.

Incentivized

Appian is one of the leading low code business automation platforms that support RPA, decision rules, case management, workflow automation, and machine learning all in a single bundle. But it is also harder to implement and replace the traditional business process.

Incentivized

Support is not reactive and is slow. Support has difficulty recognizing and admitting software bugs when reported by the client

Incentivized

As analyst I participated in a developer boot camp. At times it was hard to keep up but most of the time it made sense. Trainer took the time to explain and slowed pace down to answer questions etc.

Incentivized

Very boring; hard to get through quickly, but rather effective in demonstrating the use of the platform.

Incentivized

It was really seamless. SaaS in the true definition of the word. We logged on and started using the product. Very easy.

Incentivized

Appian has enormously transformed and keeps on updating the product every quarter to meet the latest needs of the world with new innovations & technologies being integrated within the platform. What gives more pleasure than a product that keeps on continuous[ly] improv[ing]?

Incentivized

The only reason to have selected Watson lims software is for its (overestimated!) credibility in the industry.

Incentivized

• I believe it has negatively impacted our release dates. There may have been a misunderstanding as to the learning curve, even though it is "low code."
• The look and feel of the applications created using Appian have uniformity and it's easier to have "reuse" between applications.
• There is less developer control when it comes to features. I think this mainly has to do with the amount of plugins available. I would think there should be many more available plugins. But again, our use case is probably different than most others.

Incentivized

• The only positive impact is for client facing. Watson lims is well known in the industry and the purchase of this software increase the credibility of our organization.
• The ROI is a disaster. First: The cost of the software is significantly to high, the user licences cost also contribute in the ROI disaster. Second: The implementation of watson lims significantly decrease our laboratory efficiency.

Incentivized