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Following tools are clustered according to types of visualizations for which they can be used

Timelines

Tools for creating visual timelines (usually interactive) that can display scientific data in specific moment of time.

Tools and Usage

Potentials

Limitations

Examples

Xtimeline

* Possibility to 'jam' complex data into a simple visualization

Visual display of time dimension
Embeddable and shareable via social networking tools
Possibility to interlink timeline with background information published online (e.g. Wikipedia articles on historical events)

* Most data is not visible on printed (static) version of the timeline

Timeline of chemistry discoveries: http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/Timeline-of-Chemistry-Discoveries

Graphs & charts

Tools for creating graphs and charts from data loaded by user

Tools and Usage	Potentials	Limitations	Examples
Swivel Load your data in several possible formats to display them on interactive embeddable graphs	* Graphs can be generated In number of formats and can have a very attractive design No need for programming/administration skills – data are administered through online spreadsheet or by uploading an Excel spreadsheet. Possibilities to add licensing information (can be part of the code that is embedded into one's own page or shared with others) Easy to share via social networking tools Graphs can be shared within private groups (ideal for research results that are not public)	Information that is brought up by interacting with charts is lost in printed versions Graphs are created only from ready data. The tool doesn't have an option to wrk with data generated in real time on a server.	Unemployment in Europe: http://www.swivel.com/charts/24451-Unemployment-in-Europe
Motion Chart Online chart that shows several indicators over time	* Can be embedded into a web page Charts can be updated based on live data every minute (or more) Possibility to display data from online database (requires set-up by a skilled server administrator)	Source data have to be online and fed to Motion Chart in specific format through a url.
Google Chart Tools Online chart generating system turning scientific data published on a server into real-time interactive charts in number of formats.	* Generates impressive charts in real-time (as data on the server change). Can be used for constantly changing research data that are collected/generated online, for example data related to internet use, data from automatic measuring systems (e.g. seismographic data) or data collected through an online survey.	Requires high technical skills to link data sources with the application that generates charts – some programming needed to make everything working properly	Chart gallery: http://code.google.com/apis/chart/docs/gallery/chart_gall.html
Many Eyes Online service allowing users to upload their own data, turn it into visualizations and easily share with others.	* Many Eyes contains a lot of data shared by others The tool is very versatile – data can be uploaded in number of formats and visualized in many different formats It is very easy to share created visualizations through popular social networking tools or to embed them into a webpage		Various featured visualizations: http://www-958.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/manyeyes/
Gapminder Software for creating powerful visualizations from existing development data	* Huge amount of development data come with the software (thousands of indicators from across the world) Fee versatile software able to create attractive visualizations that incorporate many variables at a time (multi-dimensional visualizations) Strength of the tool are dynamic visualizations of data changes over time, which can be played as an interactive movie/show Ideal for conference presentations	Currently, you can not use Gapminder with your own data so it can support your research findings only if your research used some world development data used by Gapminder	Gapminder Agriculture – visualization of indicators from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): http://www.gapmi nder.org/labs/gapminder-agriculture
Tableau Public Sophisticated software for designing interactive data visualization from one's own data	* Ideal for generating sophisticated visualizations from your own research data. Can be easily shared via popular social networking tools	Available only for MS Windows Most sophisticated visualizations can be designed only with paid version of the software	World Aid Donors and Receivers: http://www.tableausoftware.com/public/gallery/world-aid

Mind mapping tools

Tools for visualizing complex concepts and relations in diagrams and mind-maps

Tools and Usage

Potentials

Limitations

Examples

Freemind

Free desktop application for creating mind-maps that can be exported into number of formats and shared with others

* Organize your thoughts or illustrate your concept, export it as an image and share it with others

Very straightforward tool easy to use

Mind-maps and diagrams are not interactive

Formatting features are limited.

Mind maps are static

XX link to chart developed for this guide XX

Mindomo

A mash-up of online service and offline (desktop) application allowing to create mind-maps collaboratively online and easily share them.

* Combines online and offline mind-mapping – Mind maps can be created via mindomo's desktop application, using open xml format, and then shared with others or edited online.

Works on all main operating systems.
Maps / diagrams can be created online collaboratively
Visualizations can be embedded into websites or shared via most popular social networking tools.

Only basic functionalities available and limited number of private maps can be created by user in free version

Embeddable online map systems

Online mapping systems allowing to show scientific data against geographical maps. Maps are interactive and embeddable into one's own website.

Tools and Usage

Potentials

Limitations

Examples

OpenStreetMap

Display your research data against maps of the regions to which they relate.

* Maps can be embedded into websites, used to display own statistics and other data with geo components, etc.

Geographical data from OpenSteetMap can be downloaded and used in any way user need (including maps of whole regions, etc)
Map details are added by users (similar concept as Wikipedia) so the maps are becoming increasingly better.
There is a growing number of free server and desktop applications that work with OSM maps.

Documentation on how the system can be used to display one's own data is not very accessible

Since maps are users-generated, maps for some regions are still missing lot of details

Global Information Society Watch: http://www.giswatch.or g /

GoogleMap

Display your research data against maps of the regions to which they relate.

* Maps can be embedded into websites, used to display own statistics and other data with geo components, etc.

Linking Google Maps with other online services or data sources is relatively easy and well documented
Most popular map service with major number of examples of creative ways maps were used by others for displaying own data

No components of GoogleMaps or any other geographical information from Google can be downloaded or used in any other way than to be displayed online in format predefined by Google.

Interactive mapping used by Ushahidi: http://www.ushahidi.com/

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