R&D and data collection in the Japanese chemical industry is undergoing a major shift. Beginning in spring 2017, chemical companies such as Sumitomo Chemical and Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings will be archiving and maintaining all digital records related to an electronic technology-based R&D project, regardless of whether the project was executed or not. This is in order to ensure that the preserved data can prevent researchers from having to waste time by replicating a failed experiment, as well as keeping open the possibility that a piece of data was overlooked and could lead to its own successful project in the future. Traditionally, scientists at chemical companies discard data from failed experiments. Sumitomo Chemicals, for example, intends to digitize the data recording process, providing its R&D scientists with tablets to enter data instead of notebooks, creating a more convenient and accessible database of project information. This will also allow scientists to search and review past project cases in the database. The companies will likely introduce their database systems to other labs once the process is established.

Source: Nikkei Asian Review