Optimizing Data Quality and Use Free Analysis, Visualization and Reporting (AVR) Software Selection Tool This tool helps planners select a free Analysis, Visualization, and Reporting (AVR) software product appropriate for the type of data being used. It also outlines some of the necessary skill sets of the data analyst and additional system requirements to use these products. Note: Several software products requiring licensing fees (e.g., ESRI ArcGIS, Pentaho, SAS, STATA, SUDAAN) were intentionally excluded from this tool. This list is by no means an exhaustive collection of all open source AVR products relevant to epidemiological data analysis. PHII welcomes further suggestions to the development of this tool. Please send feedback to [email protected]. Product Product Pros Cons System/Other Software Skills Needed Source Name Summary Requirements and Data Formats Epi Info 7 Different modules Available in desktop Not available on Mac or Microsoft Windows XP or newer; Basic to intermediate Centers for Disease Control allow for survey (Microsoft Linux operating systems Microsoft .NET 4.0 knowledge of statistics; and Prevention. 2016. “Epi creation and data Windows), mobile (although these projects familiarity with Boolean Info.” capture. The and web/cloud are underway); Accepted data formats include: expressions and some https://www.cdc.gov/epiin Analysis module versions; Epi Map limitations in ability to ASCII text file, Microsoft Access, knowledge of Microsoft Access fo/index.html. can be used with and Epi Report allow support various ANOVA Microsoft Excel, Microsoft SQL helpful; mapping, map data imported for additional and regression methods Server Database projections and GIS basics if from 24 different visualization and using Epi Map formats. formatting; available in 16 different languages GRASS GIS Geographic Can be used as either Support subject to the Available for Microsoft Windows Mapping, map projections, GIS GRASS Development Team. Resources Analysis a stand-alone constraints of volunteer XP (requires Microsoft Visual C++ basics, and spatial analysis 2016. “GRASS GIS: Bringing Support System, application or a community support Redistributable Packages) or Advanced Geospatial commonly backend for other (commercial contractor newer; Mac OS X 10.8 or newer, Technologies to the referred to as software packages options do exist in many or Linux operating systems World.” GRASS, is a (e.g., R); interfaces countries) https://grass.osgeo.org/. software suite allow for transfer of Accepted data formats include: used for geospatial GRASS data into R Microsoft Access, MySQL, ODBC, data management and for results to be Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQLite and analysis, returned to GRASS. image processing, GRASS GIS 7 offers a graphics and maps new Python interface production, spatial for application modeling, and creation; Handles visualization. raster, vector, image processing, and Optimizing Data Quality and Use Free Analysis, Visualization and Reporting (AVR) Software Selection Tool Product Product Pros Cons System/Other Software Skills Needed Source Name Summary Requirements and Data Formats graphic data. QGIS An open source Desktop, spatial file Lack of 3D integration; Available for Microsoft Windows, Mapping, map projections, GIS QGIS Community. 2016. geographic browser, server much of the symbology Mac OS X, and Linux operating basics, and spatial analysis “QGIS.” information application, and web palette must be systems http://www.qgis.org/en/sit system that applications exist downloaded opposed to e/about/index.html. provides data currently; Android pre-existing options; Accepted data formats include: viewing, editing, Mobile Application is support subject to the AutoCAD DXF, ENC, geodatabase, and analysis in development; constraints of volunteer MapInfo, Microstation, MSSQL available in multiple community support Spatial databases, Oracle Spatial, languages; R and (commercial contractor Shapefiles, SpatiaLite, GRASS plugins options do exist in many WellKnownText (WKT) available for countries) advanced spatial statistics R A statistical Ease of design for Memory management Available for Microsoft Windows, Intermediate knowledge of The R Foundation. 2016. computing publication-quality (data must be stored in Mac OS X, and Linux operating statistics; the syntax-based “R: The R Project for language and plots; strong user physical memory), speed systems analyses will present a greater Statistical Computing.” environment for community and and efficiency are learning curve for users familiar https://www.r- data package library shortcomings; cannot be Accepted data formats include: with a menu-driven interface project.org/. manipulations, directly embedded into a ASCII text file, CSV, Microsoft without knowledge of calculation and web browser (see R- Excel, Minitab, SPSS programming fundamentals; graphical display Shiny) advanced users can write C code to manipulate R objects directly R-Shiny A platform as a Created for R users Depending on use Installation requires R and a web Requires functional knowledge RStudio. 2016. “Shiny.” service (PaaS) with no web case/business need, may connection; web deployment of the R statistical language http://shiny.rstudio.com/. from RStudio that development incur a fee requires servers or a hosting allows for building experience; can also service RStudio. 2016. “Shiny - web applications be written in HTML, Tutorial.” using R CSS, or JavaScript for http://shiny.rstudio.com/tu additional flexibility torial/. RStudio. 2016. “Cheatsheets – RStudio.” https://www.rstudio.com/r Optimizing Data Quality and Use Free Analysis, Visualization and Reporting (AVR) Software Selection Tool Product Product Pros Cons System/Other Software Skills Needed Source Name Summary Requirements and Data Formats esources/cheatsheets/. SaTScan Software for the Possible to scan Initial data formatting Microsoft Windows Mapping, map projections, GIS Kulldorff, Martin, and spatial, temporal, multiple datasets may be cumbersome for Requirements (also available for basics, and spatial analysis Information Management and space-time simultaneously; first-time users; tutorials Mac X 10.6 or newer and Linux): Services Inc. 2005. scan statistics, or allows for Poisson- exist, but there does not Vista or newer, Intel or a “SaTScan - Software for the SaTScan, allows based, Bernoulli, apu group compatible processor, 20 MB Spatial, Temporal, and users to perform space-time hard drive space and Oracle Java Space-Time Scan geographical permutation, ordinal, Runtime Environment 6.0 or Statistics.” surveillance and exponential and higher. http://www.satscan.org/. evaluate statistical normal models significance of Accepted data formats include: Kulldorff, Martin. 2015. disease clusters CSV, dBase, Shapefiles, SaTScan “SaTScan TM User Guide.” ASCII text file http://www.satscan.org/. Tableau Business “Show Me” feature Limited data source Server-side requirements: Excel proficiency highly desired; Tableau Software Public 9.3 Intelligence offers one-click options compared to (Microsoft Windows online trainings sufficient with Incorporated. 2016. software with a options when user paid products; files may Requirements, also available for working knowledge of Excel “Tableau Public.” menu-driven knows what data only be saved to your Mac) Microsoft Windows Vista graphics options https://public.tableau.com interface designed they need for Tableau Public profile, SP2 or newer, Microsoft /s/. to share analysis but need not your Windows Server 2008 R2 or interactive assistance creating computer/network; as newer, minimum of Intel Pentium Tableau Software visualizations on an effective view; results must be posted 4 or AMD Opteron processor, Incorporated. 2016. the web utilizes to the web to be shared, Internet Explorer 8 or newer “Tableau Training and OpenStreetMap not appropriate for Tutorials.” confidential data Client-side requirements: http://www.tableau.com/l Android Browser 3.2 or newer, earn/training. Internet Explorer 8 or newer, Mozilla Firefox 3.x or later, Google Chrome, Tableau mobile apps Optimizing Data Quality and Use Free Analysis, Visualization and Reporting (AVR) Software Selection Tool Product Product Pros Cons System/Other Software Skills Needed Source Name Summary Requirements and Data Formats Accepted data formats include: ASCII text file, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft SQL Server, Google Analytics, MySQL, Oracle, Tableau Server WEAVE The Web-based Multiple examples Installation requires Available for Microsoft Windows, Mapping, map projections and University of Analysis and available from local multiple software Mac OS X, and Linux operating GIS basics if using GIS features Massachusetts Lowell. Visualization governments downloads which may systems 2016. “Weave (Web-Based Environment, or currently using the present challenges to Analysis and Visualization Weave, is platform; utilizes users without IT Server-side requirements: Environment).” designed for users OpenStreetMap administrative rights MySQL, PostGreSQL, Oracle, or https://oicweave.org/index of any skill level to SQL Server; Java Development Kit .php. integrate, analyze (includes Java Runtime and visualize data Environment); Tomcat or University of with the option to GlassFish; any web browser with Massachusetts Lowell. disseminate the Adobe Flash Player plugin 2015. “Weave User Guide.” results in a web version 10.0 or newer http://info.iweave.com/pro page jects/weave/wiki/Weave_U Client-side requirements: any ser_Guide. web browser with the Adobe Flash Player plugin version 10.0 or newer Accepted data formats include: CVS, .dbf component of an ESRI Shapefile, Microsoft Excel, native WEAVE datasets, WFS .