Repository

•  Flexible object model that allows any data collection project to be represented.
•  All common response types available (numeric, date, text, multi-select, tabular).
•  Special derived responses that allow a value to be generated automatically by performing a calculation using previous responses as inputs.
•  Document workflow by specifying questions that are made (in)active in response to particular values being entered (e.g. "If Yes, continue; if No goto Qu. X").
•  Support for custom data validation rules from simple numeric less than, greater than rules to complex regular expression rules (e.g. validation of UK Postcode).
•  Data stored in repository contains change history/provenance metadata.
•  Use of Hibernate ORM library allows any RDBMS to be used for back-end storage.
•  Web-service front end for interoperability.
•  Interface to transformers allows data manipulation to be performed as data is saved (e.g. for anonymisation). Transformer framework extensible for other applications
  
•  Scheduled email reminders (monthly summary or individual document level) for when data has to be collected in longitudinal studies.
•  Scheduled report generation and delivery by email.
•  Data export in CSV format.

Reporting

The reporting system provides a flexible service for generating highlycustomisable reports within a project.

Three main types of reports are available, which can be used to show:

• The progress of individual clients, by showing the replies to a selected document.
• The trends in replies across time, by summarising all results from clients for a selected document.
• Project management reports, giving a high level overview of a project and can be used to help fulfill auditing requirements.

Trends reports can show the mean or median of replies to a given question/document, or alternatively the highest or lowest answers, as well as the total number of replies.
The project management reports include, but are not limited to:

• Recruitment progress reports, which compare project recruitment levels with targets.
• UKCRN summary reports, suitable for submission directly to the UKCRN.

Reports can be output in as raw data in Microsoft Excel format or graphically in a PDF format, where a variety of different charts can be produced, including: bar charts, line graphs, tables, pie charts, gantt charts and stacked bar charts. Bar and line charts can be configured to be displayed horizontally or vertically, and can show original figures or percentages.

All reports can be accessed through the Psygrid-web portal, which provides secure access to customised reports and is integrated with Psygrid's role-based security model. Individual client reports can also be generated through COCOA, whereas project management reports can be emailed to selected people on a regular (and customisable) basis.

Security

• Role based access control policy independently configurable for each project.
• What You See Is What You Can Access (WYSIWICA) security paradigm
  
• User privileges allocated independently for each project.
• Policy statements can be composed of Actions and/or Targets with Privileges combined with boolean (AND, OR, NOT) expersions.
• Signed SAML assertions used to communicate user privileges.
• User password management.
• Mutually-authenticated TLS used to secure all service access and communciations.
• Full access audit trail recorded and archived
• Security Manager tools provides easy to use graphical front end
  

CoCoA

• Simple, easy to use interface to data entry
• On-line and off-line modes of working
• Secure local data storage
• Automatic synchronisation of data set with the repository
• Support for multiple projects
  
• Study identitifier generation
• View and print documents
• Import data from file or URL
• Report generation
  

Randomisation

•  Implementation of "Random Permuted Block of Random Block Length" algorithm.
•  Extension of above for stratified randomization.
•  Extensible for other randomization algorithms.
•  Randomizers are persistent between sessions.
•  Web service front end for interoperability.
•  Production of randomizer statistics i.e. how many subjects in each treatment arm.

Electronic Screening Log

• Maps a participant's identity to their study number, and vice versa, using asymmetrical authorisation provided by the centralised PsyGrid security framework.
• Stores trial participant information away from trial data.
• Provides an audit trail by capturing any changes made to the project or to its participants.
• Optionally, interacts with a randomisation service to: setup randomisation for a trial, randomise participants and retrieve information about randomisations. System users can opt to be notified of randomisation events via email.

Web Interface

• Find the study number for a client by entering some of their personal details
• Find the personal details for a client by entering their study number
• Edit the personal details for a client
• Display the treatment arm to which a client has been assigned by searching on study number
• Display the treatment arm to which a client has been assigned by searching on personal details
• Display an emergency break-in function that shows a list of all study numbers and the treatment
• arms to which they have been assigned
• Display a statistical breakdown of treatment randomizations
• Change your PsyGrid password