DIRECT Framework

The DIRECT framework is a framework of skills and competencies for dRTPs which helps to classify and describe the wide range of technical and non-technical skills used across digital research roles. These roles include researchers, research software engineers (RSEs), data specialists, group leads, principal investigators (PIs), archivists, bioinformaticians, and many more. Using DIRECT provides a shared language for recognising expertise, planning training, and mapping career pathways supporting individuals in charting their professional growth while helping organisations to build stronger, more inclusive teams.

The DIRECT web app provides an accessible way to read through the framework and understand the skills, competencies, and categories it contains. It also provides users with a way to generate and visualise their own skill profiles in a skills wheel.

Up until now the web app has been developed by volunteers based at different institutions resulting in inconsistent progress and project management. Receiving funding through DisCouRSE allowed for dedicated professional time from the Imperial RSE Team to develop the web app, adding to the existing volunteer effort. This resulted in a more robust infrastructure set-up, an updated database schema, a better long-term roadmap, and improved sustainability of the web app.

On top of those general improvements, the main aim of the 8-week project was to update the Web App so that it would be ready for v2.0.0 of the DIRECT Framework. This new version included additional tools, methodologies, programming languages and learning resources that link with updated skills and competencies. To do this, we had to update the database schema and develop pages for browsing the new data. We also improved the process for admins to update the data stored in the database by making it possible to update it in bulk and with various file types.