Planning Animal Program Improvements

Timing your assessment study for optimal impact.

Published November 2007 Tips for assessing your existing operation and creating a master plan.

If you are taking on the job of making major operational or facilities improvements to an animal operation, four to ten weeks is the optimal time period for doing your opportunity assessment study. Less time will lead to superficial findings and missed opportunities. A longer time sends the message to people in your organization that you are a “no-action” manager and that nothing is likely to change. Also, by doing a relatively low-cost master plan for your campus-wide animal program, you can identify inefficient uses of space, get agreement on a long-term growth strategy, and determine the rationale (if there is one) for a centralized operation. And when making animal facility changes, always look in detail at how those changes will impact staff.

- From Tradeline’s Animal Research Facilities 2007 Conference