Data visualization is the conversion of vast complex data into a pictorial pattern for better clarity and deeper understanding.
Data visualization has the potential of presenting data in much more meaningful ways thereby helping in revealing the minute facts like trends that may otherwise get unnoticed.
Valuenex’s ClusterMapViewer developed a graphic for Google and Nest Labs (Alphabet's subsidiary) which helped them identify emerging market opportunities.
The graphic basically highlighted clusters of patents filed by various companies that dealt with similar technologies as Google & Nest Labs.
We have already explored various merits and demerits of data visualization tools (You can through go them if you want more insight into this topic).
This open-source data visualization tool is basically a charting library working on JavaScript. It provides its users with an override mechanism configuration that is completely based on queries from media or simple responsive charts.
Features:
• It’s very easy to handle conversions rather than in the configuration.
• SVG use makes it more beneficial as SVG illustrations are the future.
Reviews:
+ Provides users with a light library.
- Its library provides just three types of chart types like pie, line, and bar.
Charted is another one of the open-source data visualization tools which is extremely easy to operate. Charted automatically visualizes data when provided the link to the files. See below what the data shared by the Charted provides
• Its output has the ability to fit on all screen sizes.
• Even if any updates have been made on the linked file, it automatically updates it.
• It also helps in adjusting the titles as well as backgrounds
Features:
• Supports file types like .tsv, .csv.
• Simplicity in chart creation.
Reviews:
• Its linkable with platforms like Medium.
• It does not store data.
Also Read: 11 Best Use Cases of Data Visualization
The leaflet has the efficiency of working on both the platforms, mobile as well as desktop. It provides mobile-friendly interactive maps containing all the needy features.
Features:
• Efficient working on the browser and mobile support.
• Equipped with customization features.
• Light weighted.
Reviews:
+ Incorporating maps into sites or applications.
- Being open-source it lacks updated satellite and GPS information.
Google charts are one of the best free data visualization tools, present as of now. It caters to professionals as well as freelancers.
One of the amazing qualities of this tool is that it allows users to tweak their charts so it can easily blend with the branding and appearance of the web page.
Features:
• Animation
• Formatters
• Data tables and data views.
Reviews:
+ It offers a reliable presentation of data that is easy to understand.
- It supports simple charts whereas for the complex ones you'd still need excel.
Heat maps here are basically used for immediate recognition. It allows you to view your geographical data interactively. Its scale is taken as both longitude and latitude.
Like other software, it provides the same easy user experience of dragging and dropping.
Features:
• Mobile and desktop platform support.
• Customization is available.
Reviews:
+ Provides a high level of interaction. Data can be zoomed up to any level.
- The free version offers only public maps but no private ones.
The concept of RAWGraphs is somewhere similar to that of the chart. It allows users to either provide a link or upload for creating different charts.
The main goal of raw graphs is to make a visual representation of the maximum data easy for everyone. It aims at becoming the connecting link between spreadsheet applications and vector graph editors.
Features:
• Simple to use, like copy and paste.
• Immediate visual feedback.
• Convenient layouts.
Reviews:
+ Great for arranging data graphically.
- Not that user intuitive.
Palladio is a web-based platform, which helps in visualizing complex data. It is a product of ‘Networks in history’ project.
It handles an immense amount of historical data with a little more focus on case studies and research.
Features:
• Option of gallery view.
• Establishing a relationship between data points.
Reviews:
+ Allows filtering of data based on date.
- Can't present the embeds where content is dynamic in nature.
It’s an open-source data visualization tool that helps in creating interactive and responsive charts. It also allows the users to make modifications within their code for the desired output.
Features:
• Dynamic: The data that gets feed into it has the tendency of adapting to the style which is required in that particular type of visualization.
• Lightweight: The best thing about D3 is that it happens to be light-weighted which means that it has the ability to work with any web standards. This property also allows it to work faster.
Reviews:
+ Its design allows the user to work with existing web technologies.
- Slow while working on large data sets.
Infogram allows you to link up your data with their infographics as well as with their visualization too. This tool is much popular among the media industry as well as business class people.
Features:
• It gives the users a customized dashboard helping them in their tasks easily.
• It has the ability to support multiple formats.PNG, JPG, HTML, etc.
Reviews:
+ User friendly.
- Costly when subscribed.
It is a javascript library that helps the user in the visual representation of a vector tiled map. It holds the function of multi zooming data sets over maps.
It uses scalable vector graphics for displaying information. It gives users options like Pale Dawn, Midnight Commander, and Satellite when it comes to the image view.
Features:
• It provides the user with multi zoom data sets.
• It’s SVG compatible.
Reviews:
+ Feasible for small business, large enterprise, medium business, and freelancers as well.
- Its deployment is on-premises only.
This data visualization tool is a sigh of relief for the newsroom people who want their graphs quite interactive, responsive, and quick. The user needs not to have any designing skills while working on Datawrapper.
Features:
• It has its own custom layouts.
• Has the ability to extract in PNG and PDF format.
Reviews:
+ Handling of the vast amount of data.
- Color coding in maps can be tricky.
This particular data visualization tool is an open-source java scripted charting library which allows its users to create interactive charts with additional qualities like zooming.
It works with the concept of the X-axis and Y-axis for displaying diagrams.
Features:
• Has the ability to handle huge amounts of data sets.
• It is highly customizable.
Reviews:
+ Ease of work.
- Bug issues that slow down process sometimes.
Like other visualization tools, it allows users to develop interactive figures. It’s available to users like data scientists in on cloud platforms or on-premises platforms.
It also allows its users to collaborate with others in order to bring better output via visualization.
Features:
• Access to visualization libraries for users.
• Requires no coding for visualization which makes it easier for users like data scientists to work on it much easier.
Reviews:
+ Provides compatibility with different languages like MATLAB and Python.
- Less privacy of the tasks created.
ColorBrewer is mainly designed for maps wherein it evaluates the robustness of individual color schemes, thus helping in the better output of map designs.
Features:
• Filter option is available for users, so only the ones that are required and suitable for the map are shown the data.
• Export option allows you to export colors in adobe illustrator as well as Photoshop. Also, users will be able to download the color specifications into excel documents.
Reviews:
+ Users have the ease of just picking and choosing the color they want on the maps online and can be downloaded as well whenever they are ready.
- Only works on SAAS and Windows.
Weave got its name from its software description Web-based Analysis and Visualization Environment. The main aim of this data visualization tool is to present data in multiple formats to the public.
One of the best things about Weave is that while your computer mouse is going over multiple entries it allows you to highlight multiple visualizations of data at the same time.
Features:
• Has the ability to incorporate every type of operational data.
• Gives users complete control of the application.
Reviews:
+ Produces an explanation of visualized data in real-time as data gets updated.
- None, we could list out now.
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Also Read: Top 4 Open Source Data Mapping Tools
