The key differences between the Q and Displayr user interfaces fall into four broad categories:
- General look and feel
- More can be done in Displayr
- Changes in terminology
-
Things that are done differently in Displayr, include:
- Adding and updating data sets
- Tables are created by dragging and dropping
- Statistics are added via the Properties
- Filters and weights are created and applied in the Properties
- Statistical testing is applied and modified in the Properties
- Modify variables and variable sets in the Data Sources tree and the Properties
- Create new variables by inserting them into the Data Sources tree
- View and edit raw data in the Raw Data
- Export to web pages, PowerPoint, etc., from Share
- Trace dependencies using links and the interactive Inputs & Outputs
- Go back in time to older versions using Version History
General look and feel
Whereas Q has three main tabs, Output, Variables and Questions, and the Data tab, Displayr's user interface is designed so that just about everything is done on a single screen.
More can be done in Displayr
As discussed in Displayr Supports a More Efficient Workflow (Than Q), Displayr does both analysis and reporting, whereas Q is primarily analysis only. More specifically, Displayr allows you to:
- Create Stories at the Same Time as Doing Analysis
- Easily Share Beautiful Data Stories
- Automate report creation and updating (see Automatic Updating, Duplicate & Modify, and Extensibility)
- Perform simple Excel-like calculations (see Calculate Anything).
- Use built-in AI technology. Features include:
- Research Agent helps you quickly build your report, including analysis and visualizations.
- Text categorization
- R code assistance
- Customizable outputs and variables
- See Displayr AI for more details and functionality.
Changes in terminology
There are differences in terminology between Q and Displayr. Displayr uses terminology more consistently and is more aligned with standard data analysis terminology. The most common differences in terminology are:
| Q terminology | Displayr terminology |
| Copy and paste | Duplicate |
| Revert | Reset |
| Remove | Delete |
| Set Question | Combine |
| Merge | Combine |
| Question | Variable Set |
| Question Type | Variable Set Structure |
| Variable Type | Variable Set Structure |
| Pick One (Question Type) / Categorical (Variable Type) | Nominal (Variable Set Structure) |
| Pick One (Question Type) / Ordered (Variable Type) | Ordinal (Variable Set Structure) |
| Number (Question Type) / Numeric (Variable Type) | Numeric (Variable Set Structure) |
| Pick Any (Question Type) | Binary - Multi |
| n (Statistic) | Count (Statistic) |
| Object Inspector | Properties |
Things that are done differently in Displayr
Adding and updating data sets
Data sets are added by pressing the + button next to Data Sources. Data sets are updated by selecting the data set and then clicking Update in Properties , which shows the properties of whatever is selected.
Tables are created by dragging and dropping
Summary tables are created by dragging data onto the page.
Crosstabs are created by dragging data onto the summary analyses.
Banners are also created by dragging onto an existing crosstab.
Statistics are added via the Properties
Statistics, such as sample size, are added to tables by selecting the table and then choosing the relevant statistic from Data > Statistics in Properties.
Filters and weights are created and applied in the Properties
Filters and weights are created and applied by selecting the output you want to weight/filter, then using the Filters & Weight options in the Properties. You can also turn existing variables into filters and weights by selecting the variables and checking Data > Attributes > Usable as a filter or Usable as a weight.
Statistical testing is applied and modified in the Properties
Statistical testing options are accessed by first selecting a table and then choosing the options from Appearance > Significance in the Properties.
Rules are added and modified in the Properties
Rules, such as conditional formatting, are applied by selecting the chart or table of interest and creating a rule in Data > Rules in the Properties. Right-click on a rule to see additional options.
Modify variables and variable sets in the Data Sources tree and the Properties
Variables and variable sets are modified either by directly interacting with them in the Data Sources tree, which is located at the bottom-left of the screen. For example, reorder by dragging, and split by right-clicking on them.
Other properties of variables and variable sets are modified by selecting the variables and modifying their properties in the Properties . For example, press Data > Attributes > Values & Labels, Values, or Categories, depending on the variable's structure, if you wish to recode the values.
Create new variables by inserting them into the Data Sources tree
New variables are created by hovering over the variables in the Data Sources tree and pressing the + button.
There are a large number of things that can be done this way, including:
- Creating a Weight (which can also be done by selecting a table and using the Properties).
- Creating a Banner (see How to Create and Customize a Banner).
- Custom Code for creating new variables in the R and JavaScript languages.
- Filter (which can also be done by selecting a table and using the Properties).
- Text Categorization
- And other automated tools for standard ways of creating new variables (e.g., Numeric Transformations to NPS, scaling).
If the new variable needs to be created using an existing variable as an input (e.g., Text Categorization, Numeric Transformations > Category Midpoints or Filter > Filters From Selected Data), you will need to first select the input variables.
View and edit raw data in the Raw Data
To view raw data in Displayr, select the variables from Data Sources tree, and select Raw Data from the Data tab in Properties
.
Export to web pages, PowerPoint, etc. from Share
Displayr documents are published as dashboards or exported to Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF. The data can be exported as .SAV, .CSV files, and QPacks from Share.
Trace dependencies using links and the interactive Inputs & Outputs
When you select an object, any inputs are shown in the Properties. For example, the select table has two inputs: Rows and Columns. When you hover over the inputs, a link to the data source appears. You can click on the link to move to and select the data.
To view all the dependencies of any data, select the output and click the icon in the floating toolbar to open the Inputs & Outputs
panel.
Go back in time to older versions using Version History
Every 10 minutes, Displayr auto-saves a new version of your document, as well as every time you publish or re-publish the document. Each version is kept for 24 hours. Eventually, this will gradually be thinned until 48 weeks, at which time only one version per 4-week period will be retained. Go to Undo > Version History in the toolbar to see the older versions.
You can :
- Download an older version, and then upload it again as a new document (see How to Create a Displayr Document Using a QPack).
- Press Use this version to replace the most recent version.