Table 3 Identified strengths and weaknesses of the software
Strengths | Weaknesses | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Themes | Supporting Quotations | Themes | Supporting Quotations | |
Rayyan | Simple and easy to use. (6) | “So easy to use..” “Very simple to import and export.” | Too much content on the side panel. (2) | “I don’t think the sections of the left side of the screen are helpful” “<it suggests> keywords to include/exclude - it means you have to start by deleting theirs” |
DRAGON | Flexible/provides many options. (3) | “..there might be many things you could do with DRAGON...” “..lots of flexibility in the set-up…” | Hard to setup (compared to other tools). (6) | “Quite complicate initially to set up..” “Not clear how to set up and use.” |
Abstrackr | Simple option for “basic” screening. (5) | “..simple screening method…” “Easy to set-up and do basic screening.” | Poor quality user interface. (3) | “..it felt a bit clunky..” “Not a very professional website…” |
Good for collaborating. (2) | “...flexible in terms of team working” “Good options for collaborative projects” | Format of exported citations. (2) | “Exporting not as clear format as Covidence or Rayyan.” “..0 or − 1 as identifiers of exclude are ambiguous..” | |
EPPI-reviewer | Could be useful in large/ complex projects with multiple stages. (3) | “..it could be helpful with all stages of the review.” “good coding elements … < for>..a very large review” | Complex, difficult (not intuitive) to use. (5) | “Makes the screening very cumbersome.” “Very bad layout that is not self-explanatory.” |
Difficulties getting started. (2a) | “Difficult to access and start using…” “Had to install software and use internet explorer.” | |||
Instructions/help section. (2) | “..needed to watch a slow video for instructions.” “Could not find help section/tutorial.” | |||
Covidence | Easy to use, good user interface. (3) | “Simple user interface…” “.. - very clear and simple, not too much information on the page.” | Issues with help section. (2) | “..no clear help function “…videos in help section didn’t have subtitles …difficult to use if no volume/in office” |
Able to export into many formats. (2) | “..able to export citations and decisions into Excel and < reference managers>“ “...ability to export as .ris or .csv …” | |||
Supports PRISMA flow diagram (and other extra features). (3) | “...ability to generate PRIMSA flowchart…” “Some of the extra features are nice (e.g. …generate a PRISMA diagram)...” | |||
Colandr | Easy to use/good interface. (3) | “…aesthetically pleasing <the interface>… and simple to use.” “Simple user interface…” | Required to provide exclusion reason at title and abstract stage. (2) | “…you have to give a reason for exclusion at title and abstract stage…” “..having to include a reason for all exclusions” |
Easy to import citations. (2) | “Simple to import.” “...easy to import…” | Slow processing of decisions (especially excluded citations). (4) | “…a little slow to respond…” “...excluded citations not disappearing…” | |