From the Lab to ERP: A Scientific Approach to ERP Consulting

When people hear that I transitioned from a career in clinical diagnostics to ERP consulting, they often raise an eyebrow.

It seems like a sharp pivot—from analyzing pathogens in the lab to architecting enterprise software solutions.

But for me, the shift wasn’t a departure from what I love; it was a natural extension of how I think, and it’s the same mindset I bring today as an ERP consultant.

Can STEM Skills Be Used in ERP Consulting?

STEM skills refer to the essential abilities needed in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Key STEM skills include:

• Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively.

• Creativity: Developing new ideas and solutions to problems.

• Communication: Effectively conveying ideas through various means.

• Numeracy: Understanding and working with numbers.

• Technical Competence: Mastery of scientific and mathematical principles.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Working effectively with others.

These skills are crucial for success in STEM careers and can be developed through education and practical experience.

They’re also the backbone of effective ERP implementation strategies in complex organizations.

At the heart of both careers lies the same discipline: problem-solving.

In diagnostics, it was about understanding disease states, isolating root causes, and developing diagnostics that improved patient outcomes.

In business, it’s about understanding inefficiencies, diagnosing system gaps, and designing solutions that empower teams and drive measurable results and operational efficiency.

What changed wasn’t the framework, it was the field of application.

The Early Days: Curiosity as a Compass

Long before I ever touched ERP software or sat in a client boardroom, I was a young research scientist driven by an unrelenting need to understand the “why” behind everything.

In clinical diagnostics, I worked for early-stage startups where innovation wasn’t just a goal—it was the only way to survive.

I had the opportunity to develop new products, challenge existing methodologies, conduct rigorous testing, and push beyond established norms.

One of the projects I’m most proud of was a diagnostic tool designed to rapidly detect bacterial infections.

That technology eventually made its way into space aboard a shuttle mission—a humbling reminder that good science can reach beyond Earth when it’s done with intention and precision.

But the lab taught me more than how to work with reagents and microscopes.

It taught me how to:

• structure complex problems

• interpret data without bias

• experiment rapidly and iterate when things didn’t go as planned.

These lessons became the foundation of my consulting practice years later.

What Skills from Clinical Diagnostics or Lab Science are Transferable to ERP System Design?

Transitioning from Science to Business

Like many career shifts, mine wasn’t planned.

While working on systems to manage our lab operations, I found myself increasingly drawn to the operational side of the business.

I started noticing patterns—bottlenecks, inefficiencies, communication gaps—and I began asking the same kinds of questions I once reserved for scientific investigations:

What’s not working here?

Why does this process break down?

What data aren’t we capturing?

How do we consolidate our data in meaningful ways?

How do we use automation to create more accuracy and efficiency?

Eventually, I stepped out of the lab and into the world of business process consulting.

I immersed myself in ERP systems—specifically Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central— and built a practice in Microsoft Dynamics ERP consulting because I saw in these platforms the same potential I once saw in diagnostic instruments: the power to make organizations healthier, more agile, and better equipped to handle complexity.

How Do You Build a Data-Driven ERP Strategy Using Scientific Thinking?

Applying the Scientific Method to Business Strategy

Here’s the truth that rarely gets said: many organizations operate on tradition and intuition, not data.

Processes evolve over time, often patchworked together by different departments or inherited from previous leadership.

These systems may get the job done, but they’re rarely optimized.

As a scientist, I learned to never assume.

• Every hypothesis had to be tested.

• Every result had to be repeatable.

I bring that same mindset into every ERP engagement.

Rather than jumping to configure software or digitize an outdated process, I take the time to diagnose the real issue.

What’s the business problem we’re trying to solve?

• Is it visibility?

• Redundancy?

• Inflexible workflows?

Sometimes the symptoms are misleading, and what looks like a software problem is actually a process or training issue.

This diagnostic, data-first approach guides my ERP implementation consulting from discovery through go-live and continuous improvement—rather than simply lifting-and-shifting processes into a cloud ERP system.

What are Real-World Examples of Applying the Scientific Method in ERP Projects?

Problem No.1: The Phantom Margin Problem

I worked with a project-based manufacturer that specialized in high-complexity custom builds.

They were profitable on paper—but cash flow was constantly strained, and their executive team couldn’t pinpoint why.

I dug into their job costing setup and discovered that they were recognizing revenue and costs at different phases in their process, completely misaligned with actual production milestones.

Engineering hours were booked weeks before BOMs were finalized. Subcontractor invoices were hitting the books months late.

What looked like healthy margins were, in fact, artificially inflated by incomplete costing data.

By realigning their cost recognition methods and leveraging Business Central's job WIP and capacity planning tools in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP, we gave them real-time visibility into true margins by project phase.

That shift empowered them to make faster, more confident go/no-go decisions, and to stop accepting unprofitable custom work just to keep machines running.

This is especially powerful for teams running Dynamics 365 Business Central for Manufacturing, where throughput, costing, and scheduling must stay in lockstep.

Problem No.2: Engineering Handoff Chaos

One manufacturer I worked with had chronic delays between engineering and production.

Jobs sat idle on the shop floor for days, even though components were on hand and machines were free.

Everyone blamed each other. Morale was low.

I sat with each team and traced the workflow, not the stated one, but the actual one.

What I found was a series of undocumented manual workarounds that engineers used to push last-minute changes, which weren’t visible in the production plan.

There was no structured handoff protocol, no version control, and no feedback loop.

We implemented change tracking through Business Central’s job and item versioning tools, created a digital handoff form embedded in their workflow, and added alerts for downstream stakeholders—all aligned to ERP implementation best practices.

The result?

Handoffs that used to take days now took hours, production schedules stabilized, and interdepartmental trust began to rebuild.

From Test Tubes to Tech Stacks: The Tools May Change, the Mindset Doesn’t

What’s fascinating is how many parallels there are between lab work and ERP design.

In diagnostics, everything depends on inputs, controls, and measured outcomes.

In ERP, we’re capturing data, designing flows, setting up automations, and creating feedback loops.

A poorly calibrated assay produces bad results.

A poorly configured business process creates inefficiencies and confusion.

In both worlds, precision matters.

More importantly, both disciplines require you to think across systems.

In the lab, you need to understand how biological systems interact.

In business, you need to understand how finance, operations, sales, and supply chain influence one another.

You can’t optimize one function in a vacuum without considering downstream impacts.

That’s why my approach to ERP consulting is holistic.

I don’t just implement modules. I orchestrate systems. I help clients zoom out, challenge their assumptions, and ask better questions about the way they work.

It’s not about making the software fit the current process. It’s about asking whether the process still serves the business.

Asking “Why” Is Still My Superpower

If there’s one thing I brought with me from science that I lean on every single day, it’s the relentless habit of asking “why.”

• Why do you enter the same data in three different systems?

• Why does your inventory process rely on spreadsheets?

• Why does your sales team spend more time updating reports than talking to customers?

Sometimes the answers are technical. Often, they’re cultural. Either way, they point the way toward meaningful change.

My clients know that when I show up, I’m going to challenge them. Not to be difficult, but to help them get clear.

Because the clearer we are about the problem, the more precisely we can design the solution.

Check out one of my related blogs: Inefficiencies in B2B Processes: Curiosity Fuels Innovation

The Road Ahead: What Science Still Teaches Me

Even after all these years, my scientific roots continue to shape my journey.

The tools have changed, but the method has not. I still start with observation. I still ask questions. I still test ideas and iterate quickly.

And I still measure success not just by what was built, but by what was solved.

I believe the future of business belongs to those who think critically, act with precision, and never stop asking questions.

That’s the mindset I bring to every engagement, and it’s one I hope to inspire in others.

Because whether you’re diagnosing a patient or transforming a business, the real breakthroughs come when you’re willing to challenge the status quo and stay curious a little longer than everyone else.

Together, we can build smarter systems, stronger teams, and more resilient businesses—one “why” at a time.

Building Systems That Serve People

One of the most important lessons I learned as a scientist is that behind every test tube is a human life.

In the business world, behind every system is a team of people trying to do their best work.

If a solution doesn’t make their day easier, clearer, or more productive, it’s not a good solution.

That’s why user adoption is such a big part of my focus. I don’t just implement software—I help people embrace it.

That starts with empathy, training, and communication. It also means involving stakeholders early and giving them a voice in how the system is designed.

A great ERP system doesn’t just streamline processes. It empowers teams. It provides clarity. It eliminates confusion.

When done well, it becomes the nervous system of a thriving business.

About the Author 

Terri Marello, President of Key Partner Solutions, is a thought leader in the Microsoft Dynamics space and the author of the LinkedIn newsletter "Why Ask Why?", where she explores the intersection of technology and business strategy.

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Key Partner Solutions is an experienced Microsoft VAR with the in-house skills to optimize your business and smoothly migrate to cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.