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4 data visualization tools to captivate data journalism

It's more important than ever that your content is as visually compelling as the data behind it.

The presentation of information does not have to be boring and dry. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy solution or more complex data processing, these four tools will ensure that whatever data you're working with, your images will leave a lasting impression.

Tableau Public

Intuitive program for beginners, with possibilities for advanced use as familiarity increases.

Data visualization can be a very complex process and as such the programs and tools used to achieve good results can be equally complex. Tableau Public, at first glance, isn't, it's a very accommodating intuitive piece of software to get started with. Simply import your data as a text file, Excel spreadsheet, or Access database 5 Free, Easy-to-Use Alternatives to Microsoft Access 5 Free, Easy-to-Use Microsoft Access Alternatives Microsoft Access is a foundation tool complex data with a steep learning curve. If you're looking for more intuitive and free alternatives with similar features, we've got you covered! Read More

4 data visualization tools to captivate data journalism

You can create a chart simply by dragging and dropping various dimensions and measures onto your work area. Figuring out exactly how to produce the kind of visualizations you're looking for may take some experimentation, but there's not much of a challenge in creating simple charts and graphs.

That said, if you're looking to go further, Tableau Public can serve you Show, Don't Tell! Create an interactive data visualization with Tableau Public Show, Don't Tell! Create an interactive data visualization with Tableau Public Do numbers and spreadsheets make you yawn? With Tableau Public, free for Windows and Mac, you can turn .xls or .txt data into meaningful visualizations like charts and tables. Read more . It will take some time on your part to really understand the breadth of what is on offer, but it is a matter of learning a skill rather than the program being difficult to use.

If you can spend the time learning the intricacies of Tableau Public, there's no end to what you can produce; many analysis tools are offered, and you can even create interactive dashboards. Visualize your data and make your spreadsheets easy to use with an Excel Dashboard Visualize your data and make your spreadsheets easy to use with an Excel Dashboard Sometimes a simple spreadsheet format it's not attractive enough to make your data accessible. A dashboard allows you to present your most important data in an easy-to-digest format. Read More

Google Fusion Tables

Quick and easy data viewing with helpful links to other Google services.

Google Fusion Tables is a service that can really do away with the legacy of data visualization - there's a certain rigidity to what you can do with your data once it's loaded, but the overall process is very simple and fast. It is also part of the Google Docs family of web applications. How Google Docs can help you be a pro. How Google Docs can help you through a professional. Google Docs has a huge free repository of ready-made templates that you can use almost entirely. Any professional scenario. Let's take a look at five common documents needed in the workplace. Read More

4 data visualization tools to captivate data journalism

The great thing about Fusion Tables is the amount of processing that is automated. Some web services of this type may have problems processing your data, but there is no problem here; just pick a spreadsheet from your computer, a file on your Google Drive 5 Google Drive Plugins You Need to Use 5 Google Drive Plugins You Need to Use Google Docs and Google Spreadsheet are awesome free services, but when you include some of the plugins listed here, you can breathe new life into these tools. Read More

From there, you'll be able to use your data to create a variety of charts and graphs that can then be shared or embedded across the web. There's even Google Maps integration so you can present location-based data visually, as mentioned above. I used colored plots to represent my population based data, but you can also produce a heatmap if that's more suitable.

Google Fusion Tables is a strong service for all businesses Instantly visualize data and information with Google Fusion Tables Instantly visualize data and information with Google Fusion Tables Whether you're building a report for work or just want to graphically represent information on your blog , Google Fusion Tables can help. Google Fusion is actually a built-in feature in... Read More

Inactive

Robust infographic maker with many options for user customization.

While individual charts and graphs have their uses, infographics combine different sets of data. 10 of the best tools to create infographics. 10 of the best tools to create infographics. The history of this visual science (or art) tells us that infographics is by no means an invention of digital culture. The only difference between then and now is the amount of information... Read More These elegant and aesthetically pleasing data visualization pieces typically require a great deal of design work to make them look this compelling, but Infoactive delivers similar results via a web-based template.

4 data visualization tools to captivate data journalism

While it can't boast the array of different visualization types like other tools and services, although all the expected standards are present, such as bar charts, line charts, and some mapping features, Infoactive excels at creating of a cohesive length. -Form document. By combining several different types of visualizations with text and images, you are sure to be able to express your point of view.

One drawback comes from the fact that Infoactive is still a fairly new service:its interface can sometimes have some issues, and overall the user experience could be a bit polished. However, if you can see beyond that, Infoactive is the closest thing to a professional-quality infographic without hiring a designer. Would a web developer or a web designer be better? Would you rather be a web developer or designer? How do you decide if you want to be a designer or a developer? Read more.

R

Complex program that requires a lot of time and offers precise control to expert users..

There are no two ways to say it:R is software that will only be of use to the most experienced users. If you don't have the time to spend hours dealing with it, chances are you won't have any kind of fruitful results. However, if you're looking to create data visualizations that fit your specifications perfectly, there really is no alternative.

4 data visualization tools to captivate data journalism

Rather than being a data tool in its own right, R is an environment in which users can write specialized programs to suit their needs. As a result, it's incredibly flexible, but it also means a working knowledge of JavaScript Start coding JavaScript right now with these 5 great free resources Start coding JavaScript right now with these 5 great free resources Read More a programming language to be able to take full advantage of the program..

If you are looking to produce a data visualization as unique, then R is not the program for you. However, if you're going to be producing this type of content on a regular basis, it's worth looking into. R is obtuse and far from user-friendly, but the reward for your commitment to learning the program is that it will remain relevant while more rigid tools become obsolete.

This is a very difficult program to get started on, but if you can spare the time to take a free course offered by a site like Coursera 9 Coursera Courses To Improve Yourself And Your Career 9 Coursera Courses To Improve Yourself And Your Career It's tempting to learn as much as you can, but your time is limited. Choose wisely from this selection of upcoming and past courses on Coursera to enhance yourself and your career. Read More

Do you use another program, tool or service to create data visualizations? Share it with us in the comments section below.