Sample-Chain Checklist
Benefits (summary)
- Improve traceability with a compact operational checklist.
- Surface lineage gaps before they become audit blockers.
Follow-on benefits (plausible)
- Stronger reproducibility confidence.
- Lower manual reconciliation overhead.
Concepts: Chain of Custody, Provenance, Audit, Compliance
Related: 90-Minute Lab Assessment, Contact Intake
Problem
Sample lineage breaks when custody, metadata, or transfer context is captured inconsistently. That erodes confidence and increases review effort.
Solution
Apply a compact checklist at each major handoff so critical lineage fields are complete, verifiable, and ready for downstream review.
Benefits
- Teams detect traceability gaps early.
- Reviews are faster because evidence is structured.
- Operational ownership is clear at each custody step.
Core Checklist
- Unique sample identifier is present and stable.
- Collection context is complete and timestamped.
- Custody handoff is recorded with accountable owner.
- Storage and transfer state is documented.
- Exceptions are logged with corrective action.
Constraints
Checklist discipline must be maintained over time; otherwise quality drifts and confidence declines.
CTA
Implementation Details
Checklist outputs are designed for rapid review and escalation when anomalies appear.