Visualization Tools

This is a developing list of potential visualization tools (in alphabetical order) based on an independent study carried out by Halle Burns (https://github.com/hburns2). The initial tools within this list were identified based on a literature review investigating visualization tools and techniques that could be utilized to showcase and explore linked data. With additions from future students, this author expects the scope of this list to become broader.

It is important to note that the numerical ranking system utilzied in this list is biased and reflects what the initial author believes would be suitable and/or easy to utilize for novices exploring data analysis and visualization or first-time users. The ranking system is as follows:

1. This tool requires no previous background knowledge or skills. With some experimentation, it is reasonably easy to navigate and to understand.
2. This tool requires background knowledge in order to use. While this does not involve coding on the part of the user, it does involve basic understanding of concepts relating to data structures or coding languages. With some experimentation, it is reasonably easy to navigate and to understand.
3. This tool may require some form of coding or data manipulation on the part of the user. There is a learning curve getting situated with the interface.
4. This tool possesses 2 or less of the following criteria:
   1. Requires working knowledge of a scripting language,
   2. Has a complex interface with many options and capabilities,
   3. Is complex to install (requiring knowledge of command line or a scripting language),
   4. Has add-ons or other programs necessary to run the tool, OR
   5. Possesses dense documentation.
5. This tool possesses 3 or more of the following criteria:
   1. Requires working knowledge of a scripting language,
   2. Has a complex interface with many options and capabilities,
   3. Is complex to install (requiring knowledge of command line or a scripting language),
   4. Has add-ons or other programs necessary to run the tool, OR
   5. Possesses dense documentation.

Note: For any additional tools that are added to this list, in order to maintain consistency, the author requests that subsequent contributers to maintain to the evaluation format demonstrated within the list.

Definitions

Visualization: Images, diagrams, animations, etc. meant to describe something. For the purposes of this project, the "something" being described is linked data.

Linked data: A way of connecting information on the web that ultimately increases discoverability.

RDF: Resource Description Framework. A way to describe online resources. This framework is meant to be read my computers and is built in XML.

SPARQL: A way of querying RDF. Possesses similarities to SQL.

Ontology: A framework that describes a specific domain. To learn more about ontologies, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontology_(information_science). For the purposes of this project, the ontologies being mentioned are specific to linked data.

Tools that still need evaluations/entries in list

• Tableau
• Neo4J
• CiteSpace
• RDF Studio

Recommended Reading List

• "Changing the Equation on Scientific Data Visualization" by Peter Fox and James Hendler, 2013, In Science, 331(6018), 705-708. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1197654
• "A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods" by Visual Literacy, http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html
• Described in the conference paper introducing it: "Towards a Periodic Table of Visualization Methods for Management" by Ralph Lengler & Martin J. Eppler. 2007. In IASTED Proceedings of the Conference on Graphics and Visualization in Engineering (GVE 2007). http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.pdf
• "Formal Linked Data Visualization Model" by Josep Maria Brunetti, Sören Auer, Roberto García, Jakub Klímek, and Martin Nečaský. 2013. In Proceedings of International Conference on Information Integration and Web-based Applications & Services (IIWAS '13). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/2539150.2539162

List of Contributors

As you add information or data to this list and repository, please enter your name/GitHub in this space.

Halle Burns, https://github.com/hburns2