DITES - Projects of the Research Centre
In our projects, we at DITES research and develop jointly and interdisciplinary from multiple professional perspectives.
Recent Projects

BOTschafft Inklusion promoted access to the labor market for carers. An accessible AI-based chatbot had been developed as a prototype web application. It aimed to support the promotion and maintenance of caregivers' professional activities and their social participation.

INTIA (Inclusive technology ideas for everyday life) - this project was piloting participatory methods for the development of digital aids to help children and young people with special needs cope with everyday life.

“Ecosystems for innovation in social work: cross-organizational and cross-sector perspectives” was a DITES research project tasked with theoretically and empirically exploring the perspectives and interests of different stakeholder groups in mediatized living and working environments for the targeted initiation of innovation processes as open innovation concepts in the context of social work in Germany.
Pflegeschätze - Discovering and passing on inventions and ideas from everyday life with children in need of care: Identifying, visualizing and transferring family innovations from everyday life with children in need of care.
Ongoing research activities
Teaching and learning platform for the collaborative development of software architecture - also as a basis for student projects, Bachelor's and Master's theses.
ELSI-by-Design in Agile Development of Digital Products
Integration of ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) directly into agile development processes in order to counteract negative effects during the development process.
Design patterns for hybrid education
Development of a design pattern language to overcome barriers between analog and digital forms of learning - to promote collaborative learning processes.
Description: Playful access to programming through the use of games and interactive elements that make it easier to get started with coding.
Design of innovation spaces for co-creation
Description: Researching and setting up digitally supported innovation and collaboration spaces that enable new teaching and learning concepts.
MAEWIN - Machine decision support in welfare state institutions
Investigation of AI-supported decision-making processes in social institutions to optimize and legitimize decisions while respecting democratic principles.
Research into social agents - in collaboration with business partners - to improve the modeling of interactions in mediatized contexts.
Natural Hair Values. Identity formation with digitalization
Investigation of how digitization processes can contribute to the visualization and transformation of identity values (using the example of the “Natural Hair” movement).
Step2EthiX
Development of digital applications to strengthen the ethical and moral reflection skills of people in decision-intensive professional contexts.
The Human Default: Modeling the human being in the digital and social sphere
Interdisciplinary publication that brings together different scientific perspectives on modeling human action in digital and social systems.
Future laboratories of the city of Cologne
Establishment of an innovative space with flexible furniture and future-oriented technologies that promotes agile working methods and cross-departmental collaboration between administration and citizens.
Completed research activities
InTraHealth - Improving access to healthcare for intersex and transgender people
Development of a knowledge portal and an interactive web platform to raise awareness among professionals regarding healthcare for intersex and transgender people
Project duration: 01.09.2019 - 28.02.2023
PAGAnInI - Personalized Augmented Guidance for the Autonomy of People with Intellectual Impairments
Development of an adaptive learning and training system to help people with disabilities achieve greater independence and safe mobility
Project duration: 01.09.2019 - 31.08.2023
Stationary telepresence counseling in rural areas (STellaR)
Expansion of existing infrastructures (e.g. in family centers) to include specially equipped rooms for video counseling to ensure counseling in rural areas as well.
Project duration: 01.09.2020 - 31.08.2024
Expansion through innovative video formats to make teaching more flexible.
Projektlaufzeit: 01/2017–09/2018
Digitalization of the finance function
Investigation of digitization in the financial sector by means of surveys & interviews.
Project duration: 01/10/2019 - 08/04/2020
Investigation of digitization using the case study of the Diözesan-Caritasverband Köln.
Project duration: 2019
DUAL - Digital support for relatives and caregivers
Development of digital aids for the everyday life of dementia patients.
Project duration: 01.03.2018 - 31.08.2019
Digital services to promote the mental health of young people with and without a migration background.
Project duration: 01.01.2019 - 30.06.2021
Open educational space in the Gummersbach Forum
Public research & technology presentation in a shopping center.
Project duration: 01.04.2018 - 30.09.2018
IDiT - Inclusion through digital media in vocational training
Promoting digital media skills for people with disabilities.
Project duration: 01.10.2018 - 30.09.2021
Influencers in road safety communication: concept development and pilot application
Analyzing the potential of influencers for road safety campaigns.
Project duration: 01.05.2020 - 30.04.2021
Inclusive digitalization in higher education & social work
Development of inclusive digital education concepts.
Projektlaufzeit: 01/2017–12/2017
Intervention program with smartphone app to combat school failure among young people with mental health problems in Cologne
Development of an app to support young people with school problems
Project duration: 01/2016 - 07/2019
Development of a web magazine on AI through BarCamps & interactive formats.
Project duration: 01.04.2019 - 31.12.2019
Researching the role of social robots in early childhood language education.
Project duration: 01.01.2018 - 31.12.2022
Models of the human being from an interdisciplinary perspective
Book project on the role of human models in digital technology development.
Project duration: 01.10.2019 - 01.06.2021
Process individualization through Digital Identity Tracker in workshops for people with disabilities
Analysis of digital identity solutions to optimize workshop processes for people with disabilities.
Project duration: 12/2016 - 02/2017
Simulation service for housing and living arrangements
Development of simulation models for age-appropriate living
Project duration:10.12.2018 - 12.12.2020
Strengthening the “S” in ESG
Development of social ESG criteria for better evaluation by investors
Project duration: 01.06.2020 - 01.04.2021
Development of AI-supported systems to promote fair political discourse
Project duration: Duration not specified
How inclusive is “digital school” in COVID times from the perspective of school social workers?
A quantitative survey on inclusion opportunities and exclusion risks of digital school education from the perspective of social work
Project duration: 05/2021 - 12/2021
Scientific monitoring and evaluation of the “Treffpunkt U25” project
Monitoring and evaluation of the “Treffpunkt U25” project, which supports hard-to-reach young people between the ages of 18 and 25 and guides them back into existing support services and vocational orientation measures.
Project duration: 2016 - 2018
Target group-oriented road safety communication via influencers in social media
Survey of the state of research and development of recommendations for action to address target groups in road safety communication via influencers
Project duration: Completed since 30.11.2019