Table 2 List of requirements and a comparison with existing solutions
Requirements | Description | CDC | STRIDE | i2b2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R1 | Database loading and integration | The platform should provide a visual and easy-to-use user interface to load and transfer data across all studies. The user should be protected from error by having the system validate the source data files before loading them into the database(s). | √ | X | X |
R2 | User-role authentication | System and application level authentication techniques should be supported, the PI wants to grant access to his/her co-workers and collaborator and define specific role and privilege. | √ | √ | X |
R3 | Support for bioinformatics work flow developments | Having all the data loaded into the database, the platform should support development of bioinformatics workflow with less scripting effort. | √ | X | X |
R4 | Visual Query Builder | The platform should provide a query builder to easily create and execute queries against the database tables contained in the study. | √ | √ | √ |
R5 | Data export | The platform should allow exporting query results into different formats, e.g., CSV, spreadsheet | √ | √ | √ |
R6 | Version control and traceability | The platform should offer version control for all datasets that are stored in the database. Multiple versions of each file are necessary for traceability between inputs and outputs maintained so that the user can view the earlier versions of each file. | √ | X | X |
R7 | Minimal programming effort | The integration of different databases (e.g., biobank, clinical, genotype, etc.) and development of workflow must be easy and require as little programming effort as possible. The platforms should support integration of scripts, e.g., R-script code into the bioinformatics analysis workflow. | √ | X | X |
R8 | Source schema customization and metadata management | The platforms should support creation and documentation of metadata for all data files. | √ | √ | √ |
R9 | Dashboard display for studies | With a single click on the list of studies, the PI can navigate to different studies running in his/her group and its associated databases. | √ | √ | √ |
R10 | Installation | The customization and installation effort is minimal. | √ | X | X |
Total of 10 requirements | 10 | 5 | 4 |