The Psychology Behind Sticking with Old-School ELN and LIMS Systems Over the years, I’ve spoken with hundreds of biotech and diagnostics companies about their ELN (electronic lab notebook) and LIMS (lab information management system). Despite dissatisfaction, many stick with their current systems that have outdated interfaces, unreasonable price hikes, and vendor lock-in. These systems often don’t support integrations, leaving data siloed and preventing the company from scaling. I've been thinking about why this happens and believe three key psychological phenomena are at play: Sunk Cost Fallacy: Companies stick with their current systems because they’ve invested so much already. It’s hard to let go, even when it’s no longer beneficial. Think of a time when you sat through a bad movie because you paid for the ticket. Even though you weren’t enjoying it, you stayed because you didn’t want to waste your money. Similarly, companies continue using costly and inefficient systems because of their initial investment. Mere-Exposure Effect: Familiarity breeds comfort. Even when newer, better systems are available, the familiarity of the old system keeps companies from switching. Just because a scientist has been using Plasmid Designer from one big ELN provider, they prefer the same ELN for tasks it’s not even designed to support. This same comfort with familiar systems makes switching to new ELN and LIMS solutions daunting. Confirmation Bias: Decision-makers often focus on positive feedback and ignore the negatives to justify sticking with the current system. Consider when you’ve supported a favorite sports team despite a losing season. You remember the few wins and ignore the losses, convincing yourself they’re better than they are. Similarly, companies emphasize the few positives of their current systems while overlooking the significant drawbacks. These psychological phenomena lead to real-world consequences: increased costs, reduced efficiency, and missed opportunities to scale and integrate data effectively. If you’re facing these challenges, it might be time to reevaluate your options with a fresh perspective. And if you ever decide to switch from traditional ELN and LIMS to a modern data infrastructure, don't forget to consider Scispot (YC S21)