best data visualization tools for research

But once you master the interface and the basics, you’ll be able to analyze data and create insightful visualizations. Because it’s so powerful, it’s also pretty complex. While you don’t have to know how to write code or build any special tools to use Tableau, there is a pretty steep learning curve. However, if you want a robust, free way to publicly share the impact of your programs, strengthen your grant writing with data, or share your financial information with supporters, Tableau is an option worth considering.Īnd even if you need to visualize private data, you can apply for a free version of Tableau Desktop through the Tableau Foundation.Įither way, with Tableau, you can crunch seriously big data sets and create complex and powerful data visualizations that expose new insights and provide a rich view of your organization and its data. The only catch is that you’ll have to publish the data analysis publicly on the web, so it’s obviously not a great solution for personal data or anything you want to keep secret. Tableau is one of the best data tools on the market–and its public version is free. Here are 9 no- or low-cost tools you can use to manage and visualize your data without relying on technical or IT support. Luckily, there are many options out there that can help you put your data points to good use. To help your organization start actually using your data, one of the quickest, most powerful strategies is to have the right, self-serve tools in place to do something with that data after it’s collected. Many of the best data visualization and management tools require you to already have a deep technology knowledge or skillset. But it’s not until you transform it into something visual–a chart, a graph, or even just a summary table–that you gain enough insight to make it actionable.īut technology also presents another barrier for NPOs. In a flat spreadsheet or collected in a database, your data has the same amount of information.

In many cases, that’s how data is best used. Sometimes you just have to see it to understand it. But, to what end? Data is hugely powerful and can help you improve or transform your organization–as long as it’s useful and usable data. It’s often relatively simple to collect row upon row of records and store them somewhere. A huge challenge for nonprofits is often taking the next step from having data to using data.

Best data visualization tools for research