Release notes

NVivo 11 Windows

This topic describes new features and enhancements in NVivo 11 Windows.

NVivo 11 for Windows is available in three editions—Starter, Pro and Plus. Some of the features described in this topic may not be available in all editions of the software. Refer to the QSR website for information about the features available in each edition.

For information about known issues in this software, refer to the FAQs section of the QSR website.

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What's new in NVivo 11 Windows

Software editions

  • NVivo 11 Windows is now available in three editions—NVivo Starter, NVivo Pro and NVivo Plus. Refer to the QSR website to find out which edition has the features you need.

  • NVivo 11 Windows projects can be opened in any edition of the software, however not all features are available in all editions.

  • You can upgrade your software to a different edition at any time—you do not need to reinstall the software.

Fresh new look

The first thing you'll notice about NVivo 11 is the new look. The NVivo interface has been updated with a modern style in keeping with Microsoft.

We've also introduced a few changes to the workspace, based on user feedback, to make things easier:

  • The Detail View now displays on the right of the screen by default. You can still change it to display on the bottom of the screen.

  • You can now collapse the Navigation Pane to make more space on screen.

  • The File tab now opens a screen where you can access all of the File menu functions, including Save and Print. Click on the arrow at the top left to return to the NVivo workspace.

Redesigned NVivo Start screen

  • The Start screen now includes Learn and Connect tiles which link you to the NVivo Blog, Forum and video tutorials. Now you can gain access directly from the Start Screen to the latest discussions, blog posts and videos shared by QSR and the NVivo community.

  • The tiles are updated regularly—so you can see if there is anything new whenever you start NVivo. In NVivo 11 (Update 2), the tiles are also available from the File > Help menu.

  • You can easily create a new project, access your recent project list and browse to other projects from this screen.

  • You can now remove individual projects from the Recent Projects list—right-click on a project and select Remove from list.

  • In NVivo 11 (Update 2), you can access the online Help and video tutorials from the Start screen.

  • You can create your own copy of the NVivo sample project at any time from the Start screen. You can create as many copies as you need—for example, you might create a copy to experiment with coding and then create a fresh copy to experiment with queries. NVivo Plus users have a choice of sample projects to experiment with social networks and automated insights. Copies of the sample project are saved in the default project location set in Application Options.

Assistance for new users

NVivo 11 (Update 2) introduces several improvements to assist users getting started with NVivo.

  • Quick Start Steps is a page that displays automatically when you create a new project. It contains helpful information to get you up and running with NVivo. You can open NVivo Basics at any time from the File > Help menu.

  • You can now access the online Help and video tutorials from the Start screen.

  • The Learn and Connect tiles available on the Start screen are now also available from the File > Help menu.

Improved coding experience

In NVivo 11 (Windows) Update 3 we've streamlined coding from the ribbon and right-click menu, and we've introduced a new coding dialog.

  • The new Select Code Items dialog lets you create new nodes and code to them in one step. Quickly search across all your nodes, and easily code to an existing node, or select multiple nodes to code to. The dialog gives you access to code to all your node types including cases, relationships and sentiment nodes.

  • We've simplified the Analyze tab of the ribbon to make coding more intuitive. There are now fewer options—just use the new Code button to launch the new Select Code Items dialog.

  • Coding options now display at the top of the right-click shortcut menu. Quickly access the Select Code Items dialog as well as a list of your recently coded nodes and cases.

  • We've enhanced drag and drop coding with a new designated area in the node List View. You can drag and drop selected content to this area to code to a new node.

Improved user experience when working with nodes

With NVivo 11 for Windows (Update 4), we've added new contextual ribbon tabs to make it easier to work with nodes, cases, sentiment nodes and relationship nodes.

For example, when you are working with a node in Detail View, you can do the following directly—without having to switch to other ribbon tabs:

  • Turn on coding stripes and highlighting.

  • Change what is displayed in the node—for example, you can expand the context around a coded passage to show the surrounding text.

  • Run a query or create a visualization from the node you are currently working in.

Ability to export a codebook

You can report on your node structure by exporting a codebook with NVivo 11 for Windows (Update 4).

A codebook is a list of nodes and their descriptions used as a guide for coding. A codebook can clarify the meaning of the thematic nodes so that you (or members in your team) can apply them to your data in a consistent manner.

You can export a codebook in the following formats:

  • Microsoft Word (.docx)

  • Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)

Import data from OneNote Online

If you use OneNote Online, you can now bring your pages into NVivo 11 (Windows) Update 3.

There are many different ways you can use OneNote to gather your materials. For example:

  • If you are working in the office, you can use the desktop version of OneNote to clip web pages, make notes and keep to-do lists.

  • If you are working in the field, you can use OneNote on your smartphone or tablet to record field observations, record interviews or take photos of research settings and participants.

You can import your notes by connecting to your work, school or Microsoft account from within NVivo, and then selecting the pages that you want to import.

Improved cases experience

  • Case nodes are now stored in their own folder within your project and have their own unique icon, so it's easier to identify the cases in your project.

  • If you open (and convert) an NVivo 10 project, classified nodes are converted to cases and stored in the Cases folder.

Import email into NVivo

NVivo 11 (Update 1) supports importing emails from Outlook.

  • You can use the ribbon or simply drag and drop from Outlook directly into List View.

  • Emails are imported as PDFs, and any attachments are also included.

  • Cases and relationships are automatically created for the sender and recipients.

  • The cases and email source are automatically classified.

Streamlined survey import

NVivo 11 (Update 2) makes it even easier to import survey data.

The Import Survey Wizard guides you through importing your survey data from Excel, SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics. The wizard is streamlined to show you only the options you need to see, so that you make less decisions and get to the end result quicker.

In addition, the wizard automatically codes your data for you:

  • Your survey respondents will be stored as cases. The responses for each respondent are coded entirely to their case node.

  • Open-ended questions are created and coded to nodes. All responses to a question are group together under a single node, so that you can explore themes and patterns.

  • Close-ended questions are created as case attributes. These describe a case and are useful to ask questions of your data in queries and charts.

For NVivo Plus users, the wizard can also auto code themes and sentiment in the survey responses. On completion, results matrices summarize the results, and hierarchy charts are automatically generated allowing you to visualize the themes and sentiment detected in the survey responses.

NOTE:  The Survey Import Wizard replaces the Import Dataset Wizard seen in previous versions of NVivo.

New visualizations—Diagrams

NVivo 11 includes two new illustrative tools that are generated based on your project data—a quick and easy way to represent your data visually.

  • Comparison diagrams can show you what two items have in common and where they differ. Generate a comparison diagram to compare two of the same type of project items—for example, sources, nodes or cases—to see their similarities and differences.

  • Explore diagrams focus on a single project item, showing all of the items connected to that item. The power of this diagram is that it is dynamic, allowing you to step forward and back through your project data to explore the connections between items.

NOTE:  Explore diagrams replace the Graph functionality available in previous versions of NVivo.

Export any diagram as an image to share with others or include in reports and presentations.

New visualizations—Hierarchy Charts

NVivo 11 (Update 1) introduces a new-look tree map and a new radial tree map called a sunburst. Both tree map and sunbursts are types of hierarchical chart and can help you compare aspects of your data and visualize a hierarchy.

Use the Hierarchy Chart Wizard to create a tree map then use the ribbon to get an alternative view of your data as a sunburst.

NVivo Plus users can create hierarchy charts to compare sentiment coded at nodes.

NOTE:  'Hierarchy chart' replaces the 'tree map' terminology seen in previous versions of NVivo.

New visualization tools—Maps

Unlike diagrams (that NVivo builds for you), maps allow you to construct the visualization yourself. Use maps to explore your ideas or to present the connections in your data.

Create maps at any stage of your project—from developing your research question, through analysis and developing theory to presentation of results.

  • Mind maps let you brainstorm your ideas. A mind map reflects what you think about a single topic and can help you to explore your expectations or initial theories and create a node structure.

  • Concept maps let you map out your ideas and explore and present the connections in your theories. Use shapes and connectors to visualize and organize your knowledge.

  • Project maps help you to visually explore or present the data in your project. Project maps are made of shapes that represent the different items in your project and connectors which show links between items.

Export any map as an image to share with others or include in reports and presentations.

NOTES

  • Maps replace the Project Model functionality available in previous versions of NVivo.

  • Project Models from earlier versions of NVivo are not supported. If you upgrade your project, they will not be converted. We recommend you export your models as images and then import them into your NVivo 11 project.

Improved relationships

  • Create and code to relationships in one easy step using the Quick Coding bar. (NVivo Pro and Plus only)

  • Create relationship types when you create relationships.

  • Easily visualize relationships between cases in sociograms. (NVivo Plus only)

Query criteria now displays in Detail View

  • It is now even easier to work with queries. Query criteria is displayed directly in Detail View, so you can adjust your criteria and run or save the query without having to open a dialog box. This makes it more convenient to refine your query criteria and interpret results.

  • The most commonly used queries have been converted to this new look: Text Search, Word Frequency and Coding query.

Social network analysis with sociograms

  • New sociograms available in NVivo Plus let you display the social networks in your data as a diagram—helping you to visualize connections.

  • Use the sociograms to perform social network analysis on a particular case, a population of cases and their relationships, or on a Twitter dataset created from NCapture.

  • Filter sociograms to show only certain types of connections, and change the display of the diagram to highlight strong relationships or reveal the most influential people in a network.

  • View the basic centrality measures—degree, betweenness and closeness—to learn more about the vertices in a sociogram.

  • Export the edge list of a sociogram in Pajek file format to import into other social network analysis tools.

Automated insights

This exciting new feature in NVivo Plus automatically detects and codes themes and sentiment in your sources (and nodes in NVivo 11 Update 1 or later)—giving you quick insight into your data.

Themes
  • Run the Auto Code Wizard over selected text sources (including datasets and transcripts) to automatically detect and code content representing key themes in your sources.

  • Results are presented in a node matrix and content is coded to the theme nodes that are created—which you can review and refine.

  • This feature is designed to quickly identify broad, recurring themes to help you develop preliminary results at the start of a project, or validate your thinking as you work.

Sentiment
  • Run the Auto Code Wizard over selected text sources (including datasets and transcripts) to automatically detect and code content based on positive and negative sentiment.

  • Results are presented in a node matrix and content is coded to a predefined set of sentiment nodes, ranging from very positive to very negative.

  • Language is complex and sentiment cannot always be accurately detected by a computer—you can easily refine sentiment coding by changing coding references to a different sentiment.

This feature may produce better results for some projects than others.

Version 11 (Update 1) — 8 December 2015

In addition to hierarchy charts and importing email, this update also includes the following general enhancements and fixes:

  • Added: Ability to change the user interface language. NVivo is available in English, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

  • Added: Automated insights now supports auto coding in nodes. (NVivo Plus only)

  • Improved: When using automated insights you can now specify a location for your auto coded theme nodes. (NVivo Plus only)

  • Improved: You can now export tree maps in PNG file format.

Version 11 (Update 2) — 26 April 2016

In addition to the improved Survey Import Wizard and assistance for new users, this update also includes the following general enhancements and fixes:

  • Added: Support for importing surveys from Qualtrics. (NVivo Pro and Plus only)

  • Added: Ability to give feedback about NVivo. On the File > Help menu, click Send Feedback to open a simple survey.

  • Improved: Automated insights now displays the results of auto coded themes and sentiment as a hierarchy chart. (NVivo Plus only)

  • Improved: The results for auto coded themes has been enhanced. Themes with the same stem are now grouped, resulting in fewer themes. For example, cut funding, cutting funds and funding cuts are now grouped together into the same theme node. (NVivo Plus only)

  • Improved: Handling of decimals in non-English locales.

  • Improved: Reliability of importing classification sheets for locales other than English.

  • Improved: Handling of projects for users who have their local Documents folder mapped to a network drive.

  • Resolved: Windows 8 and Windows 10 users can now import GIFs into the 64 bit version of NVivo.

  • Resolved: The Reset All Customizations function in List View no longer causes Navigation View to display incorrectly.

  • Discontinued: You can no longer import data from an ODBC database table or view—for example, from a Microsoft Access or SQL Server database.

NOTE: If you're upgrading to this version and work in a team, we recommend all users in the team work on the same version of NVivo.

Version 11 (Update 2.1) — 11 May 2016

  • Improved: Handling of audio and video files if QuickTime for Windows is not installed on the computer.

  • Improved: Integration with Qualtrics.

Version 11 (Update 3) — 2 August 2016

In addition to the improved coding experience and ability to import data from OneNote Online, this update also includes the following general enhancements and fixes:

  • Improved: General performance and scalability.

  • Improved: The display of references from PDFs and the display of references in plain text view. This has significantly improved the readability of Asian characters, for example Japanese and Chinese.

  • Resolved: When you customize the List View for Sources, NVivo now remembers your settings when you navigate away.

  • Resolved: When running a Coding query, sometimes the Spread to option was not correctly applied to the results.

  • Resolved: When running a Coding Comparison query across aggregated nodes, the Kappa Coefficient and Agreement Percentages are now calculated correctly.

  • Resolved: Occasionally an error could occur when attempting to import an NCapture Facebook dataset. This has been resolved.

  • Resolved: You can now show set members on Explore diagrams.

  • Resolved: When you choose to import a random sample of responses to a SurveyMonkey survey, NVivo now correctly imports a random sample.

  • Resolved: You can now correctly cancel the Project Converter download.

Version 11 (Update 3.1) — 17 August 2016

  • Improved: Translation of Explore Diagram when the user interface language is set to Japanese.

  • Improved: NVivo error reporting.

  • Resolved: NVivo now correctly remembers when you have previously imported a survey from SurveyMonkey.

Version 11 (Update 3.2) — 27 September 2016

  • Improved: NVivo is now more stable when you:

  • Modify a source with a node open in Reference View.

  • Edit the name of project item in List view.

  • Close an audio or video transcript.

  • Import an invalid media file when Portuguese is set as the NVivo user interface language.

  • Work with projects stored in a network or file-sharing folder (for example, Dropbox or OneDrive).

  • Improved: Stability when Windows Print Spooler service is not running.

  • Improved: Stability when third-party software causes NVivo to fail to open or create a project.

Version 11 (Update 4) — 17 January 2017

In addition to the improved experience when working with nodes and ability to export a codebook, this update also includes the following general enhancements and fixes:

  • Improved: Charts experience—you can now edit the axis titles and export charts as high resolution .png and .svg files.

  • Improved: Framework Matrices experience—we've added a new ribbon tab to make it easier to work with framework matrices.

  • Improved: Coding feedback is more visible—a confirmation message now displays in Navigation View to indicate that coding is successful.

  • Improved:  NVivo now remembers your last selection for default storage location of projects and externals as well as where to import from or export to.

  • Improved: We've made it easier to switch between editions of NVivo (NVivo Starter, NVivo Pro and NVivo Plus) during a trial of NVivo. Trial users can switch editions anytime they launch the software.

  • Improved: We've further simplified the Analyze tab of the ribbon—for example the framework matrix options have been moved to a new Framework Matrix tab that is only visible if you are working in a framework matrix.