analyzr - Shiny Contest Submission

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analyzr

Authors: Jakob Promintzer

Abstract: Analyzr is a broadly applicable point and click plotting tool built on ggplot. The graphs are organized in multiple layers, which the user can freely add and remove. Select your data, apply a filter and make a graph with only a few clicks.

Full Description: Purpose and motivation

Understanding data is of paramount importance, and visualization plays a key role here. How does analyzr exactly contribute to that?

  • Speed: With only a few clicks the plot is ready.
  • Avoid errors: As the user does not need to write code, errors are avoided.
  • Broadly applicable: The user need not know ggplot, or R in general, to be able to look at data.
  • Options: The user might find new options for data visualization using analyzr.
  • Dynamics: The possibility of dynamic adjustments helps the user better understand the data.

User manual

Analyzr offers a number of different functionalities aimed at simplifying data visualization. The list below provides an overview on what analyzr can do.

  1. Adding a tab: Analyzr is organized in tabs, which the user can add (and also remove). Each tab allows the selection of one input dataset and the production of one graphical output. Having multiple tabs enables the dynamic comparison of plots.
  2. Data selection: For demonstration purpose, 3 sample datasets are available (mtcars, diamonds, economics). In a more advanced version, the user will be able to point analyzr to any input data of interest, of course.
  3. Filter: The selected data can be filtered. Applying a filter affects the graph.
  4. Adding a layer and building the plot: The graphs are built with the ggplot package. As ggplot itself, analyzr organizes the plot in layers, which the user can add and remove. Each layer demands the selection of a plot type (a geom) and axis information. Depending on the geom selected, the user can choose from a variety of widgets to control the plot. Currently supported geoms are: point, bar, line, histogram, smooth (to be further enhanced).
  5. More controls: Additional widgets can be found under the gear-icon in the plot output. These are not specific to the layer, but rather to the plot as a whole. The user can adjust for example: plot title, axis labels, colour scales.
  6. Overview: Analyzr shows the first few rows, as well as a summary of the selected data.

Keywords: visualization, ggplot
Shiny app: https://jp333.shinyapps.io/analyzr/
Repo: GitHub - Promintzer/analyzr
RStudio Cloud: RStudio Cloud

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1 Like
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I explored it a bit and it's pretty cool. One suggestion is that you make it clearer in the instructions that you have to click the tab once you've created it to move forward with setting the parameters. I might just be dense, but at first I just sat looking at the blank screen with the new tab.

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Thanks a lot for your feedback, I'm glad you like the app. I have released a new version, where a new tab is automatically selected upon being inserted. If you have any other suggestions, please let me know.

1 Like