20 new data viz tools and resources of 2014. We continue our special posts with the best data viz related content of the year, with a useful list of new tools and resources that were made available throughout 2014. A pretty straightforward compilation that was much harder to produce than initially expected, we must say, since the number of mentions to include was way beyond our initial (poorly made) estimates. So many new options out there! So, we had a hard time gathering 20 of those new platforms, tools and resources – if you’re a frequent reader of our weekly Data Viz News posts, you’ll might recall several of the mentions in this list, -, and we deliberately left out the new releases, versions and updates of existing tools, such as CartoDB, Mapbox, Tableau, D3.js, RAW, Infogr.am and others. Of course, there’s always Visualising Data’s list of 250+ tools and resources for a much broader view of what’s available out there.
For now, here are the new resources and tools that caught our attention in 2014: (image: Yby, by O EcoLab) Slides – Create and share presentations online.
Word clouds. Doc et Sources. Trees / Mindmapping. Timelines. Maps. Charts. Palladio. Brussels News Impact. Venngage | Make Beautiful Infographics. How to be an amazing designer: apps every good designer needs. As a designer, you’re constantly pulled in a dozen different directions. Every phase of a project requires a different skillset and level of focus. So to get the job done, you need to grow your skills—and find and use the right tools. So here’s my list of must-have apps to help you become the design hero you’ve always wanted to be. They’ll help you focus, boost your productivity, stick to your commitments, and be the best designer you can be. Design efficiency If designers wore toolbelts, these would be the most-used tools in mine.
Alfred - Apple essentially ripped off a bunch of Alfred in Yosemite’s new Spotlight tool. Development I’m a firm believer that all designers should learn to code. Sublime Text 3 - The development app space is crowded, but I love Sublime Text the most. Writing content Just last week, John offered up 10 UX copywriting tips for designers designed to help you skip the lorem ipsum. This can be a real challenge at times, and for me, focus is the missing ingredient. Médialab Tools.