1. Excel
Yes, that's what most consulting firms do. Remember keywords: charts, PivotTable reports (ask Niang). The default style is too ugly to change. Search the web for a bunch of tutorials like McKinsey +excel.
2. PowerPoint
You gotta show it to the audience. PowerPoint debut! In addition to being able to paste Excel chart scheduling edits, you can also save them as pictures on the web.
3. Tableau Public
Free chart drawing and data processing tools. This is now very hot abroad, the import of Excel data and drag and drop can be plotted. You can also do dynamic charts to the Web.
4. D3.js
Professional JavaScript graphics library. D3 is hard to learn and it's troublesome to use. This position is mentioned because it is a professional and amateur watershed, but also a visual career certificate.
5. Highcharts/nvd3
It's also a web graphics library, but it's much simpler than D3, and the default effect is pretty. This is generally used for standard charts.
6. Adobe Illustrator
Graphics processing software, also built-in some chart drawing function. In general, the long information on the internet is used in the end. After all, there is no beauty in the data.
7. R/python+pil
It is more a tool of data statistics than a drawing tool. Data processing and mapping are always the same, after all, there are good data and methods to tell a good story. It is unavoidable that data visualization chemistry is programmed to a certain degree. The R+ggplot chart customization capability is also very strong. In addition the graph of R output is vector graph, can continue to edit in illustrator.
8. Processing/unity 3D
If you want to be the kind of thing that you can put in museums and showrooms, you can consider these two places. You can also play with sensors and various input devices.
9. Tilemill, Baidu Maps API, Google Map Engine, Google Map API, Google Earth
On the visualization of data don't forget the map. Tilemill style customization is strong; Baidu and Google's APIs are used to make maps of web pages; Google Map engine easy to use; Google Earth has a great sense of space. Try it all.
Gephi
Drawing the Network Diagram software, it is easy to make beautiful, colorful, dense graphics. The reason to put this in the end is because too much abuse, graphics are misleading, and even for people who know the meaning of mathematics is difficult to read. But there is always a time to apply, just be cautious. In addition, this tool is indeed the leader here.