Tools for capturing metadata about experiments and samples

Question

[Ahill]

Capturing complete and accurate descriptions of experiments and samples is needed for successful bioinformatics analysis, and to enable secondary re-use of experimental data. Experimentalists are busy, and it's not always easy to capture full, correct and consistent metadata annotations for all samples and experiments.

Can anyone recommend tools that make it easy and fast to capture experiment and sample metadata? I'm aware of initiatives like ISA Commons and CEDAR. Any others out there that people like or use? Any pointers appreciated.

[GenoMax]

If you are using LIMS, workflow or electronic lab notebook software then a lot of this information should be captured in those along the way.

[Ahill]

Very true - unfortunately the definition of a 'good' LIMS seems to depend on who you ask. We get user feedback that LIMS workflows for entering metadata are heavyweight and hard to use. As a result, complete/accurate metadata doesn't get entered. Combination of human and technical factors. A LIMS or e-notebook for genomics that encourages metadata getting entered once, at the point of experiment creation, instead of multiple times later, would be great.