Ginkgo Bioworks is a biotech company with a mission to make biology easier to engineer. To support its cell programming operations, the company developed internal software tools and lab automation systems to increase throughput. Despite these investments, biology teams were not completing projects as quickly or efficiently as expected.
I partnered with two senior product managers to lead a research and strategy initiative focused on improving the speed and effectiveness of internal teams. The goal was to identify barriers to productivity and uncover opportunities to strengthen the software and systems that power biological manufacturing. Making these teams more efficient would allow Ginkgo to take on more customer projects, reduce costs, and build scalable processes for future growth.
Company
Ginkgo Bioworks
Type
Year
2021
Process
Framing the Challenge
I acted as the lead design researcher and strategist for the initiative. I created the research plan, selected participants, wrote interview scripts, and facilitated synthesis sessions. We began by aligning with product and business leads to clarify goals and understand expectations for improved throughput.
Immersing in the Work
We conducted in-depth interviews and direct observations with biology team members to understand how they planned, executed, and tracked projects. We also shadowed them as they worked with in-house software and lab automation systems to uncover inefficiencies and workarounds.
Mapping Systems and Expectations
We interviewed business stakeholders to understand their goals and frustrations, and we audited internal software systems to assess their usability and technical constraints. This gave us a clear view of the disconnect between leadership expectations, scientific workflows, and tool performance.
Synthesizing and Proposing Change
We synthesized findings and shared them with product and business leaders. I developed experience principles and early concept directions for how software and automation systems could better support scientific work. We facilitated four workshops with stakeholders to prioritize these ideas and shape a long-term investment roadmap.
Outcome
The research clarified why internal biology teams were underperforming and helped the company realign its investments. Our work led to a prioritized roadmap that guided internal development for several years.
Key results included:
Clear focus areas for improving internal software and automation
Conceptual designs for more efficient scientific workflows
Cross-functional alignment between biology, engineering, and business leaders
Increased awareness of the value of human-centered design in technical infrastructure
Improving the productivity of in-house biology teams enables Ginkgo to take on more customer projects without compromising quality. It also creates opportunities for teams to reuse insights and approaches across projects, making future work faster and more scalable. This effort laid the foundation for accelerating Ginkgo’s core operations and long-term growth.
