Access and process large amounts of textual, graphical, audio, and video data in the workbench environment to perform a qualitative analysis of selected elements. Multiple paths of information structuring are available including assigning categories to relevant files.
ATLAS.ti is a software tool developed to help engineers to realize qualitative analysis and research. The embedded tools allow users to evaluate data, store and visualize results, or run queries and searches.
The features come wrapped in a standard interface, that has a simple white background, various toolbar options, and nicely crafted menu icons.
With ATLAS.ti users are able to open multiple documents, that can easily be dragged from the navigation panel. Integrated options like coding, linking, or annotating can be used to edit two document regions.
As per Analysis tools, this utility can be used to retrieve quotations, using their associated codes. It also has a list of codes that can be displayed in different cloud views, and with Cooccurrence Explorer users are able to see codes that co-occur across all or some of the selected primary documents.
Despite offering numerous complex features, ATLAS.ti seems a bit too expensive. Also, the integrated tutorials and guides require a deep learning curve, while the process of adding codes manually is quite tedious.
In conclusion, ATLAS.ti is a comprehensive software tool for performing data analysis. It may not be perfect, but some minor inconveniences shouldn't stop you from trying it out.
v6.2 [Jun 26, 2011]
Version 6.2 is an important version step that once again adds new features that are as innovative as they are powerful to an already innovative and powerful tool.
Imagine converting the results of a large online survey into a Hermeneutic Unit in ATLAS.ti with just a few mouse clicks. ATLAS.ti v.6.2 lets you do just that!
A typical work flow:
-Create an online survey using, for example, Google Docs (a very convenient tool, although other frameworks are supported as well)
-Download and store the survey as an Excel table once your respondents have filled out the questionnaire
-Import the table into ATLAS.ti
-Voilà: Each row (= one respondent) becomes a primary document, and content is collected and created from the answers to open-ended questions. PD families are created from single and multiple-choice questions; quotations are created for each answer and coded with the respective question (you may use abbreviations). This accomplishes a lot of tedious pre-coding work in a few seconds.
A new font preferences tab in General Preferences addresses two common issues that users face:
-Optionally reduce the number of fonts offered for a specific language
-Allow named sets of fonts (themes) that may serve different purposes: presentation, notebook, etc.
ATLAS.ti lets users expand the available functionality by editing or creating "style sheets" that control the transformation of HUs into web sites, rich texts and other representations. For version 6.2 we have taken a few steps towards increased usability. This includes a new and reworked set of style sheets plus a few simple ones that encourage learning to create your own. Also, in the XML Converter tool you will find a new version column that lets you sort the new ones to the top, and vice versa.
