Themes are a simple and effective way to analyze your data in Notably. Themes are created in the "Analysis" section of Notably.
A Theme is a hidden pattern that is uncovered by relating pieces of data and positioning them near each other. These data clusters or, "Themes", help you see what is important by the size, scope, or diversity of the data.
Names of Themes should be specific enough to thematically understand the contents of the data cluster without reading each note. But, don't overthink Theme names in the moment. You don't need to name your them right away. Use your intuition or logic to decide which data points should be clustered together, even if you don't know what to call it just yet.
Three Ways to create Themes in Notably
1 - On the Canvas
Drag & Drop
When viewing the canvas, drag and drop sticky notes on top of one another to create a new theme as you see patterns start to bubble up.
Click & Drag
Click and drag your mouse on the canvas to select sticky notes you would like to Theme. Then click "Theme" to create the cluster.
💡Tip: Not every sticky note needs to belong to a Theme. There can be outliers - don't force a theme. This doesn't mean that the data is not important. It just means it is not a thematic takeaway, and that is okay!
2 - In the table
When viewing data in the table section on the left, find the "Theme" column and begin typing. You can choose from existing themes you have already created, or create a new one.
💡 Reminder: What you do in the table is automatically updated on the canvas, and vice versa!
3 - Import .CSV File
If you have any pre-tagged and/or themed data from another source, you may import these directly to Analysis.
To read more about .CSV importing, click here.
Bird's eye view of your data
As you zoom out, you will begin to see a wider view of your data as a whole, and can begin applying different lenses to your data-driven canvas.
For example, try recoloring your canvas by sentiment, filtering down by tag, or participant.
There you have it! This is how to create and edit Themes in Notably. From here, you can begin generating Insights from any of our AI-powered Insight Templates.
Learn more about using themes in research synthesis on our blog.
👋 Have an idea or feedback around using Themes in Notably? Let us know!