EDC support
The Erasmus Data Collaboratory (EDC) played a central role in turning the Movez Chat vision into a reality. EDC engineers collaborated closely with stakeholders from the MOVEZ Network and representatives like David Blok. The EDC team performed an in-depth analysis and consultation process, transforming the initial requirements into a detailed roadmap for secure, scalable deployment.
Emphasizing both security and high performance, the EDC engineered a tailored infrastructure using Microsoft Azure as the hosting environment. To ensure the platform’s flexibility and resilience, Docker was chosen for containerizing the application, enabling reproducible deployments and streamlined updates. HAProxy was incorporated to manage load balancing, guaranteeing stability and smooth gameplay even under fluctuating participant loads. This robust technical foundation enabled not only reliable application performance but also ensured strict adherence to privacy and access control protocols required for research involving sensitive data.
The EDC’s ongoing support also extends to regular maintenance, performance optimization, and the integration of new features in response to evolving research needs. Their expertise ensures that the Movez Chat platform remains both user-friendly and research-ready, adapting as new findings and requirements emerge from the academic community.
Impact
The deployment of Movez Chat has significantly advanced the MOVEZ Network’s mission to explore youth wellbeing in digital spaces. By providing a secure and easily accessible environment for interactive experiments, the platform has enabled researchers to collect and analyze user interaction data in ways that were not previously possible. This capability has opened up new avenues for evidence-based research into the complexities of social media behavior, digital communication, and their effects on young users. Beyond its research value, Movez Chat has strengthened community engagement by making digital experiments approachable and engaging for a diverse audience, including students, educators, parents, and organizations. The successful collaboration between MOVEZ Network and EDC exemplifies how innovative cloud engineering, stakeholder-driven consultation, and technical leadership can be combined to support impactful social research. As a result, Movez Chat now stands as a model platform for secure, scalable, and purpose-driven digital experimentation.