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Cross-Organization Collaboration

HyperStudy supports collaboration between researchers across different organizations, enabling multi-site studies and external partnerships while maintaining data isolation and security.

Overview​

Cross-organization collaboration allows you to:

  • Share experiments with researchers at other institutions
  • Collaborate with external users by inviting them via email
  • Set time-limited access with automatic expiration dates
  • Maintain audit trails for compliance (HIPAA/FERPA/GDPR)
  • View shared experiments in a dedicated "Shared With Me" panel
Multi-Tenant Architecture

HyperStudy uses a multi-tenant architecture where each organization's data is isolated. Cross-organization sharing creates explicit permission bridges that allow controlled access without compromising data isolation.

Sharing with External Users​

You can share experiments with any HyperStudy user, regardless of their organization.

By Email Address​

To share with someone outside your organization:

  1. Open the experiment in the Experiment Designer
  2. Click the Permissions tab
  3. In the Grant Access section, click Add User
  4. Enter the external user's email address
  5. Select them from the search results (they must have a HyperStudy account)
  6. Configure permissions:
    • View - Can see the experiment design
    • Edit - Can modify the experiment (use with caution)
    • Duplicate - Can create their own copy
  7. Optionally set an expiration date (see below)
tip

External collaborators appear with their organization name displayed next to their name in the permissions list, making it easy to identify cross-organization shares.

Permission Recommendations for External Users​

Collaboration TypeRecommended Permissions
Review/feedbackView only
Create their own versionView + Duplicate
Active co-designView + Edit
Full collaborationView + Edit + Duplicate
caution

Manage Access permission should rarely be granted to external users, as it allows them to modify who else has access to the experiment.

Sharing with External Organizations​

For ongoing collaborations with another institution, you can share directly with their organization:

  1. Open the experiment's Permissions tab
  2. Click Add Organization in the Grant Access section
  3. Search for the organization by name
  4. Select the organization from the results
  5. Configure organization-wide permissions
  6. All members of that organization inherit the permissions you set

This is useful for:

  • Multi-site research studies
  • Institutional partnerships
  • Course collaborations across universities

Time-Limited Access​

All cross-organization shares support expiration dates for enhanced security and compliance.

Setting an Expiration Date​

  1. After adding an external user or organization, find them in the permissions list
  2. Click the calendar icon next to their entry
  3. Select an expiration date
  4. Access automatically revokes on that date at midnight (UTC)

Common Expiration Patterns​

ScenarioSuggested Duration
One-time review1-2 weeks
Active collaboration3-6 months
Grant periodMatch grant end date
Course collaborationEnd of semester
IndefiniteLeave expiration blank

Expiration Notifications​

  • Users receive a notification 7 days before access expires
  • Owners receive a summary of expiring permissions weekly
  • Expired permissions are logged in the audit trail

The "Shared With Me" Panel​

Experiments shared with you from other organizations appear in a dedicated section.

Accessing Shared Experiments​

  1. Go to your Experimenter Dashboard
  2. Look for the Shared With Me panel in the sidebar
  3. Shared experiments are grouped by the sharing organization
  4. Click an experiment to open it (based on your permissions)

Shared Experiments vs. Organization Experiments​

FeatureOrganization ExperimentsShared With Me
LocationMain experiment listShared With Me panel
Media accessFull libraryOnly media in experiment
Data accessBased on data permissionsSeparate data sharing required
Can duplicateAlwaysOnly if granted
Appears in searchYesNo (use panel)
note

Shared experiments do not appear in your main experiment search. Always use the Shared With Me panel to access them.

Data Sharing Considerations​

Experiment permissions and data permissions are separate. Sharing an experiment does not automatically share its data.

To Share Data with External Collaborators​

  1. Share the experiment (as described above)
  2. Go to Data Management
  3. Select the experiment
  4. Open the Permissions tab
  5. Add the same external users/organizations
  6. Grant View and/or Export permissions

Data Access Separation​

This separation is intentional for:

  • Privacy compliance - Control who can access participant data
  • Research integrity - Share designs without sharing results
  • Staged collaboration - Grant data access only when needed

Audit Trail and Compliance​

All cross-organization activities are logged for compliance with research regulations.

What Gets Logged​

  • When access was granted
  • Who granted the access
  • What permissions were given
  • Expiration dates set
  • When access was used
  • When access expired or was revoked

Accessing Audit Logs​

Organization administrators can view audit logs:

  1. Go to Settings > Organization > Audit Log
  2. Filter by:
    • Resource type (experiments, data, media)
    • Action type (share, access, modify, revoke)
    • Time period
    • External organization
  3. Export logs for compliance documentation

Compliance Features​

RegulationSupported Feature
HIPAAAccess logging, expiration dates, role-based access
FERPAData isolation, explicit permissions, audit trails
GDPRTime-limited access, access logging, data separation

Best Practices for Multi-Site Studies​

Before Starting​

  1. Document the collaboration - Create a data sharing agreement
  2. Identify roles - Who needs what access at each site?
  3. Plan permissions - Map out experiment vs. data access needs
  4. Set timelines - Use expiration dates aligned with study phases

During the Study​

  1. Use groups when possible - Share with an external organization rather than individuals
  2. Review permissions quarterly - Remove unused access
  3. Communicate changes - Notify collaborators before modifying experiments
  4. Keep audit logs - Export logs periodically for your records

After the Study​

  1. Review all external access - Revoke unnecessary permissions
  2. Archive shared experiments - Move completed work to archive folders
  3. Export final audit logs - Document the collaboration for IRB records
  4. Update data sharing - Ensure ongoing access matches agreements

Security Considerations​

What External Users Can See​

When you share an experiment, external users can:

  • View/edit the experiment design (based on permissions)
  • See experiment-level settings
  • Access media used in that specific experiment only

External users cannot:

  • Access your organization's media library
  • See other experiments in your organization
  • Access data without explicit data permissions
  • See other organization members
  1. Start with minimal permissions - Add more as needed
  2. Use expiration dates - Default to time-limited access
  3. Regular audits - Review external shares monthly
  4. Revoke promptly - Remove access when collaboration ends
  5. Separate design and data - Share data only when necessary

Frequently Asked Questions​

Can I share with someone who doesn't have a HyperStudy account?​

No, users must have a HyperStudy account. Send them to hyperstudy.io to create a free account, then share with their registered email.

What happens when an external user's organization changes?​

Their individual access remains intact. Organization-level shares only affect current members of that organization.

Can I see who from an external organization accessed my experiment?​

Yes, the audit log shows individual access events, including which user accessed what and when.

How do I handle a multi-site study with different IRB protocols?​

Each site maintains their own data permissions. Share the experiment design broadly, but grant data access only to users authorized under your IRB protocol.

Can external users add their own participants to my experiment?​

Only if they have Edit permission and your experiment allows multiple recruiters. Otherwise, they can duplicate the experiment and run it independently.

What's the difference between sharing with a user vs. an organization?​

  • User share: Only that specific person gets access
  • Organization share: All current members get access; new members automatically get access; departing members lose access