Essential learning content Curated for your role

Starter Kits

Meet the team at Stegmann Labs, our sample lab where PLA 3.0 supports every step of bioassay analysis. From integrating new assays to ensuring compliance, the team tackles real lab challenges every day.
Based on their experience, we've curated role-specific Starter kits—essential learning content built around common first questions new users often have. Each question links to trusted resources that support a smooth start with PLA 3.0.
Explore the kits to find the right content for your role—and answers to your initial questions.
Productivity by design
Meet Bob, Alice, and Emily in our current interview series and see how prepared structures, connected data, and clearer workflows support productivity in PLA 3.0.

Our Kits

Laboratory Technician Kit
QA Specialist Kit
Statistician Kit
System Administrator Kit
Senior Laboratory Technician

Alice

Alice holds a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry.
She has been working in pharmaceutical research for over 10 years, specializing in preparing samples and running bioassays.

Alice's perspective on PLA 3.0

Structured assay setups, organized data, and clear analysis settings help Alice evaluate methods, refine workflows, and prepare reliable templates for routine lab work.

Common first questions

Open a question to find recommended learning resources and related guidance.
Quality Assurance Specialist

Xiaoling

Xiaoling holds a degree in Chemistry.
She has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience in QA processes and ensuring regulatory compliance in laboratory environments. 

Xiaoling's perspective on PLA 3.0

Traceable records, audit trails, and reviewable results help Xiaoling support audit readiness and maintain confidence in the lab's quality processes.

Common first questions

Open a question to find recommended learning resources and related guidance.
Statistician

Nick

Nick is a skilled statistician with a strong background in biostatistics.
He ensures the accuracy of statistical analyses in product development and quality control, working closely with Alice and Xiaoling to evaluate bioassay data.

Nick's perspective on PLA 3.0

Clear analytical settings, documented assumptions, and traceable results help Nick review whether an assay setup is statistically sound and suitable for its intended purpose.

Common first questions

Open a question to find recommended learning resources and related guidance.
IT Manager

Ignacio

Ignacio has over 15 years of experience in IT management, with a focus on supporting specialized scientific software in research environments.

Ignacio's perspective on PLA 3.0

Role-based security and account management help Ignacio assign roles, manage permissions, and support secure access to PLA 3.0.

Common first questions

Open a question to find recommended learning resources and related guidance.
#1
Laboratory Technician
Kit
#2
Quality Assurance Specialist Kit
#3
Statistician
Kit
#4
System Administrator
Kit

#1 Laboratory Technician Kit

Smiling woman in a lab coat with test tubes and flasks blurred in the background.

Alice

Senior Laboratory Technician

Alice holds a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry.
She has been working in pharmaceutical research for over 10 years, specializing in preparing samples and running bioassays.

How do I get started with PLA 3.0 and understand the basics?

The best place to start is the PLA 3.0 Basics Webinar, a guided overview that walks you through the essentials of working with PLA 3.0. It's designed to get you up to speed quickly and confidently.
Need help logging in or navigating the interface? The User Interface topic in the Knowledge Center offers detailed guidance to help you get oriented.

How can I efficiently manage my assay data?

PLA 3.0 uses documents to help you keep everything in one place—from assay layout and parameters to evaluation settings and results. These documents are structured containers that bring clarity and consistency to your data.
To work with your documents, head over to the Content editor. This editor is your go-to workspace for organizing, navigating, and editing assay content—intuitively and securely.

Which analytical methods and plate layouts does PLA 3.0 support?

Wondering whether your method is supported? PLA 3.0 offers a wide range of ready-to-use analytical methods—from parallel-line and slope-ratio potency assays to ECx calculations and turbidimetric assays.
No need to worry about your assay layout. PLA 3.0 works with all kinds of plate formats, including microplates, tube racks, and agar plates. Position factors give you the flexibility to define exactly how your samples are organized.
Check out the PLA 3.0 Orchestra insight, where we explain how data tables and position factors work together to organize your bioassay data.

How do I get the response data from my plate readers into PLA 3.0?

Got results from your plate reader? PLA 3.0 makes importing them easy. With dedicated Data Acquisition Modules for instruments like Gen5™, SoftMax® Pro, or Tecan Magellan, you can bring in your response data smoothly—and tailor your setup along the way.
Check out our Shorts library to learn about the various supported instruments. In just a few minutes.

Can I move from method development to routine use in PLA 3.0?

Absolutely. PLA 3.0 lets you turn tested methods into templates. This allows you to standardize your setup, follow your SOPs, and ensure secure, consistent execution every time.
Check out the PLA 3.0 Cookbook insight, where we highlight how templates and documents work hand-in-hand to streamline workflows and maintain quality.
Want to gain a deeper understanding of how to design and use templates? The PLA 3.0 for Method Developers course offers comprehensive material to help you get the most out of this feature.

#2 Quality Assurance Specialist Kit

Smiling woman in lab coat and glasses standing in a bright, modern laboratory setting.

Xiaoling

Quality Assurance Specialist
Xiaoling holds a degree in Chemistry. She has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience in QA processes and ensuring regulatory compliance in laboratory environments. 

How do I get started with PLA 3.0 and understand the basics?

The best place to start is the PLA 3.0 Basics Webinar, a guided overview that walks you through the essentials of working with PLA 3.0. It's designed to get you up to speed quickly and confidently.
To learn how PLA 3.0 supports you in maintaining high quality standards, head over to the Quality governance topic in our PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center, which outlines Stegmann System's principles for achieving and improving quality.

How can I validate that PLA 3.0 works reliably in my environment?

The PLA 3.0 Validation Package is what you are looking for, offering automated IQ and OQ capabilities and semi-automated PQ capabilities.  
Check out our Shorts library to learn more. In just a few minutes.
For background information and a detailed step-by-step description on how to validate PLA 3.0 in your environment, check out the Validation topic in our PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center.

Does PLA 3.0 support analytical compliance with international standards?

Absolutely. PLA 3.0 aligns with international pharmacopoeial standards, including United States Pharmacopeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP), and Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP).
Want to gain a deeper understanding of how to develop analytical methods? The PLA 3.0 for Method Developers course offers comprehensive material to help you in efficiently developing methods with PLA 3.0.

How does PLA 3.0 ensure data integrity?

PLA 3.0 securely stores all assay data in electronic documents. Each document is protected by a digital signature that is automatically validated every time the document is opened, ensuring the content has not been altered.
Our Shorts library offers a tutorial video that guides you through the steps to create a document in PLA 3.0. In just a few minutes.

Can I trace user actions and changes in PLA 3.0 for audit purposes?

Yes. PLA 3.0 includes a built-in audit trail that logs all user actions and changes, from data entry to result generation. The audit trail is read-only and tamper-proof, making it easy to trace modifications for internal reviews or external audits.
Head over to our Shorts library for a quick look at how PLA 3.0 handles audit trails and reason-for-change tracking.

#3 Statistician Kit

Man in glasses and lab coat standing in a modern laboratory with shelves and equipment behind him.

Nick

Statistician
Nick is a skilled statistician with a strong background in biostatistics. He ensures the accuracy of statistical analyses in product development and quality control, working closely with Alice and Xiaoling to evaluate bioassay data.

How do I get started with PLA 3.0 and understand the basics?

The best place to start is the PLA 3.0 Basics Webinar, a guided overview that walks you through the essentials of working with PLA 3.0. It's designed to get you up to speed quickly and confidently.

I need to choose the right model for my assay. Which methods does PLA 3.0 offer?

PLA 3.0 provides a broad selection of ready-to-use analytical methods for evaluating bioassays. You'll find linear and non-linear regression models, as well as tools for curve comparison, equivalence testing, and statistical process control.

I need to make sure my assay meets predefined standards. How can I apply suitability criteria in PLA 3.0?

Suitability tests in PLA 3.0 are built into the document types used for analysis. You can choose from a variety of configurable options that you can adjust to match your specific requirements.

I need to apply SPC to track assay performance and detect trends. Which tools are available in PLA 3.0?

The Control Chart Package offers statistical process control (SPC) capabilities to help you monitor assay performance over time. It supports trend tracking, shift detection, and long-term stability assessment.
Take a look at our Control Chart Package course, where you will learn how to develop exhaustive strategies for statistical process control.

I need to develop equivalence margins based on historic assay runs. How do I approach equivalence margins and combination calculations in PLA 3.0?

The PLA 3.0 Advanced Analysis Workshop is perfect if you're working with combination calculations and need to define equivalence margins. This expert-led course walks you through the statistical background and practical application of these concepts. Ideal if you want to discuss best practices and real-life solutions with our experts.

#4 System Administrator Kit

Smiling woman in a lab coat with test tubes and flasks blurred in the background.

Ignacio

IT Manager

Ignacio has over 15 years of experience in IT management, with a focus on supporting specialized scientific software in research environments.

How do I get started with PLA 3.0 and understand the basics?

The best place to start is the PLA 3.0 Basics Webinar, a guided overview that walks you through the essentials of working with PLA 3.0. It's designed to get you up to speed quickly and confidently.
Head over to the Administration topic in our PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center for an overview of key administrative tasks—including database setup, add-on management, and user and permission management.

How do I install and configure PLA 3.0 in my environment?

You can deploy PLA 3.0 in a variety of scenarios, such as single-user, multi-user, or terminal server setups. The Common deployment scenarios topic in our PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center outlines some frequently used configurations. 
Ready to get started? Follow the Step-by-step installation topic to get PLA 3.0 up and running in your environment. 
Prefer watching instead of reading? Check out our Shorts library for details on how to create your first PLA 3.0 database. In just a few minutes.

How do I add analytical methods to PLA 3.0?

Analytical methods in PLA 3.0 are delivered as add-ons that extend the framework's capabilities. You can manage and install these using the Add-on management feature. This allows you to activate new methods as needed and keep them up to date.

How does PLA 3.0 use databases?

PLA 3.0 uses databases to store all data, including user accounts, rights and permissions, signatures, and audit trail information. When users log in, they connect to a specific database that defines their work environment for that session.
The Databases topic in the PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center provides the details you need to efficiently set up and maintain databases in your environment.

How do user roles and permissions work in PLA 3.0?

PLA 3.0 combines role-based user rights with resource-based permissions, giving you fine-grained control over who can perform specific tasks and access certain data.
The Rights and permissions topic in the PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center explains how you can employ permissions, roles, and groups to manage access.
The PLA 3.0 Academy is part of the learning and support landscape for the PLA 3.0 software product, alongside the PLA 3.0 Knowledge Center and the PLA 3.0 Support Portal.
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