Tools & Tutorials

Table of Contents

• General Lists of Tools
• Featured Tools
  • General Visualization Tools
  • Geographic Visualization Tools
  • Diagram Tools
  • Network Visualization Tools
  • Statistical Visualization Tools
  • Temporal Visualization Tools
  • Textual Visualization Tools
  • 3D Modelling Tools
  • Virtual Reality Tools
  • Infographic and Vector Graphic Tools
  • Social Media Data Gathering Tools
  • Cleaning/Preparation of Data Tools
  • Colour Tools

General Lists of Tools

These are helpful lists of data visualization tools to check out. Great to learn about what's out there!

• Computer World - 30 Free Tools for Data Visualization and Analysis
• DataVisualization.ch data visualization tools
• InfoVis Wiki Software Links
• Visualizing Data Resources List
• Digital Research Tools (DiRT Directory)

And for help deciding what tool would create what type of chart, check out the new Chartmaker Directory, which includes links to tutorials for different type/tool combinations.

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Featured Tools

As you can imagine, there are many different tools you can use to visualize data. This is not an exhaustive list, but features some commonly used tools. The tools are roughly categorized by their speciality, where appropriate. Further down the list are helper tools for selecting colours and cleaning data. 

 Means the tool costs money

 Means it is installed on computers in the Map & Data Library reference area and computer lab

 

General Visualization Tools

Online Applications

• Google Fusion Tables
  • Geocoding Tutorial Using Google Fusion Tables
• Raw
  • Raw Graphs Learning
• Flourish
  • Flourish Help

Desktop Applications

• Microsoft Excel (Faculty/staff can purchase a license through UofT here)   
  • New and Modern Chart Types 
  • Excel Charts Blog
• Sci2 (Must register first to download the tool. If you use the tool on a library computer, you agree to "send information to cns-sci2-dev-l@iulist.indiana.edu if any results from this tool are made available to the public, e.g. publications, references or services")  
  • Accompanying MOOC
  • Sci2 Manual
• Tableau Desktop (Free for students and instructors/academic researchers. Detailed instructions.) 
  • Map & Data Library Self-Paced Courses: Introduction to Data Visualization Part 1 - Theory and Critique (No Tableau, but Data Viz Theory) & Introduction to Data Visualization Part 2 - Practice with Tableau
  • Map & Data Library Tableau Tutorials
  • Tableau Starter Kits
  • Tableau Live Training
  • Tableau Training Videos
  • Jumpstart Tableau: A Step-by-Step Guide to Better Data Visualization by Arshad Khan (For Tableau 9.x but still helpful)
  • VizJockey (Blog with How-To articles and Tips for Tableau)
• Microsoft Power BI Desktop
  • Learn Power BI

Javascript Libraries/Programming Languages

• Data-Driven Documents (D3.js)
  
  • D3 wiki
  • Introductory D3.js Course (Based on an older version of D3, but helps get you started. The site also has tutorials on the newer version)
  • Getting your head around d3.js [part1]
  • Getting your head around d3.js [part2]
• Google Charts
  • Using Google Charts
• Highcharts (Free for non-commercial use)
  • Highchart demos
• Processing
  • Processing tutorials
  • Visualizing Data by Ben Fry

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Geographic Visualization Tools

Online Applications

• ArcGIS Online (Contact the Map & Data Library to ask about a license. More info here)  
  • Map & Data Library Tutorials (on various Data & GIS topics)
  • Esri Virtual Campus (You need to first associate your Esri account with UofT to gain access to the online courses by filling out this form) 
• Carto (Free to get started...)
  • Carto Documentation
  • Carto Community Lessons and Tutorials
• Esri Story Maps
  • Resources (including getting started basics)
• GIS Cloud (Free to get started...)
  • GIS Cloud Manual
  • University of Waterloo Libraries GIS Cloud User Guide
• Mapbox (Free to get started...)
  • Get Started with Mapbox

Desktop Applications

• ArcGIS & ArcGIS Pro (Contact the Map & Data Library to ask about a license. More info here)    
  • Map & Data Library Tutorials (on various Data & GIS topics)
  • Esri Virtual Campus (You need to first associate your Esri account with UofT to gain access to the online courses by filling out this form) 
• QGIS  
  • QGIS Tutorials and Tips
  • QGIS Training Manual

Javascript Libraries/Programming Languages

• Leaflet
  • Leaflet Quick Start Guide
  • Leaflet Tutorials
  • Leaflet Basics
• Open Layers
  • Open Layers Documentation
  • OpenLayers 3 Beginner’s Guide by Thomas Gratier, Paul Spencer and Erik Hazzard 

 

Diagram Tools

Desktop Applications

• Microsoft PowerPoint (online application also available)    
  Note: You can insert SmartArt in other Microsoft Office applications as well, such as Word and Excel
  • Create a SmartArt Graphic
  • Animate Your SmartArt Graphic
• Microsoft Visio (online application also available, paid versions only)  
  • Beginner Tutorial for Visio
  • Microsoft Visio Tutorials

Online Applications

• Lucidchart (free and paid versions) 
  • Getting Started in Lucidchart: The Basics
  • Lucidchart Resource Center
• draw.io (free)
  • Diagramming, Modeling, and How to Get Started with Draw.IO
  • draw.io Tutorials
• Creately (desktop application also available, free and paid versions) 
  Note: For the free version, all your visualizations are public and can only export to PNG or JPG
  • Getting Started
  • Creately templates
• Vizzlo (free and paid versions) 
  Note: For the free version, there is a huge watermark in all your visualizations, so really only good to try it out
  • Getting Started
  • Data Viz Guide
• Gliffy (free trial and paid version) 
  Note: For the free version, you are unable to export your visualizations at all 
  • Gliffy Online User Manual
• SmartDraw (desktop application also available, free trial and paid version) 
  • How to Use SmartDraw
  • SmartDraw User Guide: Fundamentals for New Users

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Network Visualization Tools

Online Applications

• Netlytic
  • Netlytic Help

Desktop Applications

• Cytoscape
  • Cytoscape 3 at Open Tutorials
  • A set of Cytoscape tutorials for my students (Miriam Posner)
• Gephi  
  • Map & Data Library Workshop: Introduction to Network Analysis and Visualization Using Gephi (Feb. 11, 2021): Recording - 1:44:18 & Workshop Files
  • Learn how to use Gephi
  • Gephi Tutorial Quick Start
  • Introduction to Network Visualization with GEPHI (Martin Grandjean) [Note, this tutorial is for an older version of Gephi, but still very useful to cover basic concepts)
• NodeXL (Basic & Pro )
  • NodeXL for Beginners
  • How to Use NodeXL
  • NodeXL Teaching Resources
• Social Network Visualizer
  • SocNetV Manual
• VOS Viewer
  • Getting Started

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Statistical Visualization Tools

Desktop Applications

• Stata (Can purchase a license through UofT here)   
  
  • A visual guide to Stata graphics by Michael N. Mitchell
  • Intro to Data Visualization: Stata
  • Introduction to Graphs in Stata

Javascript Libraries/Programming Languages

• Ploty (Note: Ploty provides online graphing and stats tools, as well as scientific graphing libraries for Python, R, MATLAB, Perl, Julia, Arduino, and REST)
  • Plotly Help Center
  • Plotly Tutorial: Plotly and R (DataCamp)
• R using ggplot2  
  
  • Map & Data Library Self-Paced Course: Introduction to R
  • ggplot2 reference
  • Quick-R - Graphs
  • Cookbook R - Graphs
• R using ggvis  
  • ggvis basics

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Temporal Visualization Tools

Online Applications

• Neatline (works with Omeka) (Contact UofT Libraries to get setup with Omeka here)
  • Omeka and Neatline Tutorials
  • Doing Digital History 2016 Neatline Tutorial

• Timelines.js
  • Make a Timeline
  • Open Media Lab Timeline JS Tutorial

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Textual Visualization Tools

Online Applications

• Voyant
  • Voyant Tools Documentation
  • Doing Digital History 2016 Voyant Tutorial
  • Voyant Tools: A Tutorial for Text Analysis
• Wordle
  • Wordle—Quick Start Tutorial 

Desktop Applications

• NVivo (Plus)   
  • Request a licence from the Map & Data Library
  • Getting Started with NVivo 11 for Windows
  • NVivo 11 for Windows Tutorials (YouTube)

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3D Modelling Tools

Desktop Applications

• Blender
  • Blender Tutorials
  • 3D Scientific Visualization with Blender by Brian R. Kent (Book and Video Tutorials)
• CityEngine (Contact the Map & Data Library to ask about a license. More info here)    
  • Esri Virtual Campus (You need to first associate your Esri account with UofT to gain access to the online courses by filling out this form) 
• SketchUp  & Sketchup Pro 
  • Learn SketchUp

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Virtual Reality Tools

General lists of tools (hardware and software) to support virtual reality projects: Virtual Reality Pop List & Mashable List.

Online Applications

• HoloBuilder (to annotate 360 photos)
  
  • HoloBuilder Tutorials
  • Example of Academic Use - Virtual Field Trips (Dept. of Geography, UBC)

Desktop/Mobile Applications

• Google Streetview App: iTunes & Google Play (to create 360 photos)
  • Create or import 360 photos
• Google Cardboard Camera App: iTunes & Google Play (to create 360 photos with sound)
  • Take VR photos
• OpenSpace3D
  
  • OpenSpace3D Support

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Infographic and Vector Graphic Tools

Online Applications

• Canva (Free to get started...)
  • How to Design Infographics (Canva blog)
  • Canva Tutorials
• Easel.ly (Free to get started...)
  • Quick Guide to Creating an Infographic
• Infogram (Free to get started...)
  • Getting Started with Infogram
• Piktochart (Free to get started...)
  • Map & Data Library Tutorial - Introduction to Infographic Design Using Piktochart
  • A Student’s Guide to Getting Started with Piktochart
  • Infographic layout cheat sheet
  • Infographic design process
  • North Carolina State University (NCSU) Infographics presentation and activity using Piktochart (Google Drive)
• Venngage (Free to get started...)
  • Venngage Help Centre
• Visme (Free to get started...)
  • Visme Support

Desktop Applications

• Adobe Illustrator (Can purchase a license through UofT here)  
  • Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
  • How to Create Infographics in Adobe Illustrator
• Inkscape
  • General Inkscape for Beginner Tutorials (YouTube)
  • Inkscape for Beginners: Circle Infographic Tutorial (YouTube)
  • Inkscape Tutorial: Create An Infographic (YouTube)
• Microsoft PowerPoint (Faculty/staff can purchase a license through UofT here)  
  • How to Make Powerful Infographics in PowerPoint (YouTube)

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Social Media Data Gathering Tools

Online Applications

• Netlytic
  • Netlytic Help
• Twitter Archiving Google Sheet (TAGS)
  • Twitter Stream Gathering (Presentation)

Desktop Applications

• NodeXL (Basic & Pro )
  • NodeXL for Beginners
  • How to Use NodeXL
  • NodeXL Teaching Resources
• NVivo (Plus)   
  • Request a licence from the Map & Data Library
  • Import from Twitter

Javascript Libraries/Programming Languages

• Python (Try Anaconda to work with Python)  
  • Mining Twitter Data with Python
  • Documenting the Now (social media tools)
• R (Try R Studio or Anaconda to work with R) 
  • NYU Politics Data Lab Workshop:
    Scraping Twitter and Web Data Using R

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Cleaning/Preparation of Data Tools

Desktop Applications

• Microsoft Excel (Faculty/staff can purchase a license through UofT here)   
  • Google Spreadsheet Add Ons for Data Analysis​​​​​​
• OpenRefine  
  • Map & Data Library Self-Paced Course: Working with Messy Data in OpenRefine
  • Map & Data Library Tutorials on OpenRefine
  • OpenRefine Documentation
  • Using OpenRefine by Ruben Verborgh & Max De Wilde
• Tableau Prep (Comes with Tableau Desktop - see General Purpose Visualization Tools)
• Trifacta Wrangler
  • Trifacta Online Training

Javascript Libraries/Programming Languages

• Python (Try Anaconda to work with Python)  
  • Cleaning data in Python
• R (Try R Studio or Anaconda to work with R) 
  • Map & Data Library Self-Paced Course: Introduction to R
  • An introduction to data cleaning with R

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Colour Tools

Online Applications

• Coblis — Color Blindness Simulator
• ColorBrewer 2.0

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