Tableau is tool for data analysis and visualization, allowing users to represent data in many different ways including: Cross Tab, Geographic Map, Page Trails, Heat Map, Density Chart, Scatter Plots, Pie Chart and Bar Charts, Small Multiples, Dual Axis and Combo Charts with different mark types and options for drill down and drill across.
Design & Visualization
Design software focuses on the digital creation or re-creation of a thing or idea. Types of design range from print media, web site, computational, 3-dimensional, structural, simulation, and more. Simulation and modeling software is closely related and sometimes integrated with design software.
Visualization software includes applications that help visualize concepts, ideas, or scenarios. This includes diagramming, geographical visualization, molecular and structure visualization, graphical data representations, and some animation.
Also included in this category are applications used in presentations. This includes not only Powerpoint and powerpoint style presentations, but live polling software, presentation capture software, and web presentations as well. As well, applications used to create, edit, convert, or touch up digital images. Software ranges from photo editing, photo cataloging, graphic design, and diagramming. Finally there are applications used to edit web pages including code editors, What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) editors, and Content Management (CMS) systems that organize and manage web pages on a server.
Visio
Microsoft Visio (viz-zee-oh) is a diagramming and vector graphics application and is part of the Microsoft Office family. Visio can be useful for creating organization structures, network structures, room layouts, relational diagrams, process diagrams, flow charts, and more. Visio can also use UML (Universal Markup Language) to interface with database schemas. Visio starts with a set of templates that allow a user to easily develop a diagram using a preconfigured set of stencils, icons, and markup for a specific purpose. Additional templates and stencils can be downloaded via the Office Download Center. Users can also create from a blank template and use any stencils and objects from any library available.
Visio is not part of the standard Office installation and must be licensed and installed separately. It is only available on the Windows Platform.
VoiceThread
Availability: Free account for up to 5 Voicethreads or purchase license
VoiceThread is a cloud application used to create collaborative slideshows of documents, presentations, videos, or images. Viewers can add their own voice, text, or video comments on the individual slides within the slideshow. These comments appear in the VoiceThread so all users with access can view and leave their own comments.
The VoiceThread can be shared via a link or embedded within a webpage. It can be set to private, shared with specific people, or shared publicly.
Licenses can be purchased, or a free account is available for creating up to 5 VoiceThreads. An up-to-date version of Adobe Flash is required as well as an Internet connection.