Look for analysis software that can “connect” to standard hardware devices such as a serial port or a data-acquisition system. If you plan to acquire data from an instrument or other device, you may want to place the data directly into your data-analysis software.
And you may need to analyze data stored somewhere on the corporate network, so any new data-analysis software should accept data in the format your company now uses. You don't want to spend time processing information that you can't readily share with others. The file or data formats should be compatible with those already in use throughout your company. If you need to archive an extensive amount of data, make sure the software can save data in a binary format that takes up less disk space than the formats mentioned above. If software uses a proprietary or nonstandard format to save data, you may find it impossible to exchange data with other applications. These formats include text files that use a quote-comma sequence or tab characters as delimiters as well as file formats used by databases (Access, dBase, Paradox, and others), spreadsheets (Lotus, Quattro, Excel, and others), and other types of programs. The software should store and retrieve data using industry-standard formats. If other engineers will use the data-analysis software, you will need software that can quickly switch between various setups. If technicians will use the software to analyze SPC data, you must find software with easy-to-understand menu choices as well as with graphs and charts appear that are easy to view and print. Specify for today's needs, but always consider the future.Īlso keep in mind the needs of other people who will use the software. You may require software that can handle a thousand values now, but future applications may generate tens of thousands of values simultaneously on several channels. You will need to find software that can handle the quantities and types of data you have.ĭon't underestimate the amount of data you have to process. Determine how much information you want to analyze and what form (not format) it is in: that is, scalars, vectors, matrices, complex numbers, and so on. Make a list of the types of data-analysis tasks you want the software to performÑbasic averaging and graphing through statistical modeling, spectrum analysis, and so on. Then, you can set up a more polished plan to present to the vendors Take a formal approach to establishing your needs by putting your ideas on paper. You must understand very clearly what type of data you have, what you want to measure, and what types of results you want. Before you can evaluate data-analysis software, you must carefully describe your requirements.
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