Systems and methods for laboratory deck setup verification

A laboratory workstation for preparing a sample according to a programmed protocol. The laboratory workstation may include a display device configured to display an instruction for loading a first item of labware onto a deck of the laboratory workstation at a position on the deck specified by the programmed protocol; an imaging device configured to monitor the deck of the laboratory workstation by creating one or more images of the deck; and a processor configured to recognize, in the one or more images created by the imaging device, an item of labware loaded onto the deck by an operator. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to indicate on the display device whether the recognized item of labware loaded by the operator is arranged on the deck in accordance with the programmed protocol.