North Central Region researchers with Philip Moore at their regional training; Michigan State University, 2024.
From Paper to Pixels
This year, IR-4 took a major step in fully implementing electronic field data books (eFDBs) for its field trials. Emerging from the Path Forward 2.0, a blueprint of strategies to streamline IR-4’s operations, a plan was developed to create a customized electronic system to replace the paper field data books that have been standard for IR-4.
This project has been led by Study Director and Biopesticide Regulatory Coordinator Philip Moore and Study Director Jimmy Byrtus. Starting in 2020, they began investigating what an eFDB would need to look like operationally, and what software would best support the IR-4 team’s needs and goals. The rigorous requirements of conducting field trials under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) was a primary focus. After careful consideration of the costs and benefits of multiple software options, Moore and Byrtus moved forward with iAdvantage Software, Inc.
“In essence, [iAdvantage] has been producing this software for over 20 years, it’s been approved by the EPA for our GLP data requirements and is “off the shelf,” meaning we would have all the basic features we needed, designed for the type of studies we do: GLP [magnitude of the residue] field trials,” Moore explained.
In March of 2022, the IR-4 team moved forward with iAdvantage Software Inc. and began piloting the software internally. In preparation for pilot trials, Moore and Byrtus convened a team of IR-4 researchers including: Daniel Heider, Marylee Ross, Cole Smith, Leona Horst, Martin Beran, Megan James Hickman, and Janine Spies. This group helped Moore and Byrtus further define what an electronic field data book (eFDB) tailored to IR-4’s specifications would need in order to be effective as well as user-friendly.
By working with this team of experienced IR-4 Field Research Directors, Moore and Byrtus incorporated expert input into the structure of the eFDB right from the start. The team’s goal was to set up field data book users for a successful move from paper to tech. Byrtus shared, “We went page by page to help build the eFDB to make an easier transition from paper to electronic data capture.”
Testing the Future
During the 2023 National Education Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Moore presented on the eFDB to IR-4 researchers from across the country, introducing the project and encouraging researchers to attend virtual training sessions to become familiar with the software.
Moore and Byrtus launched a large-scale pilot program in 2023 to engage a group of researchers in testing the eFDB and providing feedback. A key tool in learning to use the eFDB software and testing it was entering old trials and studies into the system and comparing the results to those taken manually using paper field data books. This pilot program was successful enough to lead to the full rollout of the eFDB system in 2024.
Southern Region researchers with Philip Moore at their regional training; University of Florida, 2024.
Full eFDB Rollout
As of the 2024 field season, the eFDB is being used to document the vast majority of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) residue trials conducted by IR-4, and many benefits are already being observed.
Moore shared, “Having accessibility to the data, and not waiting until such a long duration after the trial is completed is a huge benefit. At any point we can look at the data in the electronic system and know how it’s going and whether the application was done correctly. And then just reducing paper itself is a benefit which reduces the cost to the organization.”
While paper will still be used for collecting some raw data, such as for drench applications, and documentation of the chain of custody for things like test substances and samples, eFDBs drastically reduce IR-4’s paper footprint. The image to the left shows the amount of paper generated by an eFDB (left) vs. the amount of paper generated by a paper field data book (right).
The transition to the eFDB also allows for greater efficiency in sharing information between Field Researcher Directors and other members of IR-4. This is especially useful when multiple researchers collaborate on a project simultaneously. Using an electronic data system in the first collection of data also means that Study Directors do not have to retype handwritten field notes intended to be reported to the EPA.
Embracing the Challenge: Opportunities for Growth in the Field
While there have been many benefits to the implementation of the eFDBs, as with any period of change, there have been challenges to overcome. The use of eFDBs in the field requires researchers to have some form of mobile device meeting the basic requirements of the new software, which some sites have had to procure. For researchers who have been using the paper books for many years and are comfortable with them, changing to a new system adds adjustment time to an already full workload.
Some researchers have voiced a concern that tech functionality may be difficult in severe weather, such as rain and heat waves seen in the field. Using the eFDB software also requires training and familiarity to become proficient, which has required the patience and cooperation of researchers over the last two years as Moore, Byrtus and their collaborators have worked to fine-tune the system. Throughout the pilot and training process, Moore and Byrtus have hosted office hours and webinars to train team members on the program and provide support as problems arise.
Field Research Director Cole Smith, pictured above with Byrtus, shared these insights from his experience learning to use the eFDB:
“I keep enough equipment that if anything breaks, I can fix it. With my computer, I can’t do that, I have to kind of figure out what could go wrong, and how to adjust to things that are outside of my control. There’s been learning the software, which calculates all of our treatments and stuff for us. But those calculations are only as good as whoever entered the numbers in the background. So, there’s still a layer of human error that’s possible with the electronic system and that’s something that in the future needs to be addressed. But also, with any change or any learning of any new system, there’s going to be growing pains while we figure out how to do things. It’s kind of like what I experienced when I first started doing GLP work. You know, there’s certain challenges that are just hard and you just have to learn the system and get through it and then it gets a lot easier. I think once we get through this first little bit and really learn the system, I think it is really going to improve efficiency.”
Training Together
Noting the concerns held by some researchers following the pilot program, IR-4 headquarters organized in-person training sessions in every region to help familiarize Field Research Directors (FRDs) with the technology and boost their confidence going into the field season. Moore traveled all over the country to deliver the trainings (pictured left at Michigan State University). North Central Regional Field Coordinator, Nicole Soldan, attended and shared:
“With a natural aversion to change, going into this new process was a little scary. Philip did a lovely job with training, but it was a lot of information to retain, especially in the beginning. The in-person regional trainings were very helpful, and I was encouraged that the FRDs felt more comfortable going into the new season and they faced the challenges with a positive attitude. During the season, as expected, there were hurdles met in the field with the eFDB. FRDs were able to use the knowledge they had to work around these difficulties, or they knew who to contact if the problems could not be solved on their own. Experience is the best training and the more repetition the FRDs are getting, the smoother things have been going.”
IR-4 is proud of the team spearheading this project and of the researchers who have worked hard to learn and implement a new system. The greatest lesson out of the process is that we can’t do anything alone—that working together and supporting teammates through any kind of change is the way forward.
Sharing his closing thoughts on his part in developing the eFDB Jimmy Byrtus expressed the following perspective:
“If I really had to give one takeaway it would be how thankful I am to all the researchers for being open-minded and willing to try the electronic field books, as well as being honest with Philip and I about what changes would be beneficial to them moving in the future.”
Always Evolving
As IR-4 continues to grow and change to serve the needs of growers and other members of the specialty crop community, modernized tools such as the eFDB will aid in increasing efficiency and productivity. Having more instantaneous access to trial data will better highlight the amazing work being done by IR-4 and its researchers, and help us collaborate with regulatory and research partners around the globe.
IR-4 team members: find eFDB resources on the Food Crop Researcher Resources page.