DIRECT Research Platform

The platform integrates educational content, interactive exercises, and surveys, customizable for different use cases. Users can access content via chatbot interactions or slide-based views. Interactive exercises, such as cognitive therapy models like the Cognitive Triangle, are available and easily expandable using a built-in toolkit. DIRECT supports clinical studies through configurable questionnaires and randomizable study groups, enabling data collection and outcome evaluation.

DIRECT is highly modular, allowing organizations to toggle features on or off and adapt the platform to specific scenarios. User data is securely hosted on German servers, meeting stringent data protection standards. Study administrators can manage projects, contact participants, and configure new studies through an intuitive admin interface.

The platform includes a mobile app for iOS and Android, a web app for participants, a content management system for editors, and an administration dashboard for study supervisors and therapists. Directus has been used as a headless CMS in this project allowing to manage the vast amounts of content and to assign content to different studies.

Examples of application include the Swiss Red Cross using DIRECT to support refugees in Switzerland with resources on everyday life, local services, and coping strategies. Freie Universität Berlin uses DIRECT to evaluate smartphone-based interventions, delivering effective assistance directly to study participants.