How can laboratory education support students entering postgraduate research with different practical experiences and levels of confidence? At the University of Aberdeen, a developing collaboration with LabBuddy explores how structured preparation could support the transition into independent laboratory research. The proposed educational pilot focuses on preparation for postgraduate research projects, bringing together experimental workflows, calculations, protocols and safety considerations. Its purpose is to explore how digital preparation can complement practical teaching and supervisory support, while retaining opportunities for students to develop scientific reasoning and independence. This presentation will outline the educational rationale, the proposed pilot design and the questions guiding its evaluation. These include student preparedness, consistency of preparation, safe laboratory practice and responsible use of consumables. It will also consider implementation questions relevant to other institutions, including accessibility, staff workload and alignment with existing teaching. The collaboration provides a starting point for wider discussion of how educators and educational technology specialists can develop and evaluate practical learning resources together. Delegates will be invited to consider a transferable framework for identifying preparation needs, aligning digital activities with laboratory learning outcomes and evaluating educational value.