Before you commit to purchasing new data visualization software, it’s essential to take a step back and evaluate whether it’ll actually benefit your workflow. After all, the goal isn’t just to have another tool at your disposal—it’s to ensure that the software enhances productivity, maintains the quality of your visualizations, and, most importantly, gets used.

Many organizations invest in software only to see it go underutilized. In fact, according to recent data, companies have an average of 254 software applications, yet only 45% are regularly used by workers. This means more than half of the tools businesses pay for either sit idle or are utilized inconsistently, ultimately wasting financial resources.

As a geoscientist, the risks of investing in the wrong software can be even higher. If you request budget approval for a new tool, your professional credibility is on the line. Recommending a software that turns out to be unnecessary could negatively impact how colleagues and decision-makers view your suggestions. On top of that, if your recommended product doesn’t work well within your current workflow, it could disrupt your productivity or lead to subpar visualizations that affect how stakeholders perceive your maps and models. That’s why incorporating the right data visualization software into your toolbox isn’t just about what looks good on paper—it’s about ensuring it will truly fit into your operations and add value to your workflow. 

To avoid the pitfalls of adding the wrong software to your day-to-day, it’s time to answer a key question: what should you consider to ensure you pick a tool that seamlessly integrates into your current setup? To select a data visualization software that fits nicely in your toolbox and enhances your reputation along the way, here are the key factors to evaluate before making a purchasing decision. 

One of the most important things to check is whether the software supports the file formats you work with. That means you need to consider the formats you’ll import into the new tool and the formats you’ll export for sharing with stakeholders or continuing analysis in other applications. If the software supports these file formats, it’ll cooperate better with other tools in your workflow. For instance, Surfer is compatible with the most popular import and export file types (e.g. PDF, JPG, TIF, SHP, DXF, KML/KMZ), making it easy to integrate with GIS tools and geological modeling software. 

Before purchasing a new product, ask yourself: does it offer features that your current tools don’t? If the answer is yes, then it could be a valuable addition to your workflow. Take Surfer as an example. It equips you to visualize both surface and subsurface data so you can give stakeholders a more complete picture of the field area. If you currently use software that only specializes in creating surface or subsurface visualizations, adding Surfer to your data visualization toolbox will help you gain insights into both areas of interest and enjoy greater understanding of what you’re analyzing. 

Even if a software offers something new, the next question to ask is: do you really need its functionality? For instance, if you primarily work with GIS tools but are increasingly taking on projects that require subsurface analysis, a new scientific visualization tool may be a necessity. On the other hand, maybe you’re not taking on these types of projects but aren’t satisfied with your GIS tools’ gridding capabilities. If the new software you’re considering has more advanced gridding features, it may be worth adding. The key is to determine whether the software’s capabilities align with your actual needs, not just whether they seem impressive on paper.

A new tool should increase efficiency, not make your workflow more complicated. If the software you’re considering seems to have a steep learning curve or will add unnecessary complexity with its overwhelming interface, it will slow you down instead of helping you work faster—and with some tools in the world of geoscience, this is a common reality.

There are multiple data visualization packages that are so massive and intricate that learning them never really stops, leading to wasted time and frustration. Even worse? The companies offering them usually attach a high price tag to their customer support services. That’s why you should be careful when selecting a tool to add to your workflow. If it’s not easy to learn and user-friendly like Surfer—which also comes with free customer support —then the software could cause more headaches than benefits.

Budget is always a consideration. If you’re already paying for multiple product subscriptions, adding another tool must be financially feasible. But the reality is that large, complex software packages aren’t just hard to learn. They’re also incredibly expensive, making them inaccessible for many geoscientists and teams. So before committing to a purchase, evaluate whether the price is sustainable. You want to adopt a high-quality tool that you can use for years to come and that won’t give your accounting team a headache every time they see an invoice.