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IBM SPSS Statistics

IBM SPSS Statistics

Overview

What is IBM SPSS Statistics?

SPSS Statistics is a software package used for statistical analysis. It is now officially named "IBM SPSS Statistics". Companion products in the same family are used for survey authoring and deployment (IBM SPSS Data Collection), data mining (IBM SPSS Modeler),…

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Recent Reviews

GOOD SOFTWARE IBM

8 out of 10
March 22, 2024
Incentivized
thanks to the fact that IBM® SPSS® Statistics is an incredible statistical software platform, we can make decisions in real time in our …
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User friendly analytics

9 out of 10
March 07, 2024
Incentivized
I use SPSS to analyze survey data for my org. My analyses range from simple descriptive statistics to correlations and complex models. I'm …
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Awards

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Video Reviews

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IBM SPSS Review: Analytics Team Is Able to Review Statistics Quickly & Comprehensively
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Pricing

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Subscription

$99.00

Cloud
per month

Base

$3,610

On Premise
one-time fee per user

Standard

$7,960

On Premise
one-time fee per user

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.ibm.com/products/spss…

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Demos

IBM SPSS Custom Tables Explained in Two Minutes

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The IBM SPSS Regression Module Explained in Two Minutes

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IBM SPSS Bootstrapping Explained in Two Minutes

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IBM SPSS Advanced Statistics Explained in Two Minutes

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Product Details

What is IBM SPSS Statistics?

IBM® SPSS® Statistics is a statistical software platform boasting an interface and feature set that lets organizations extract actionable insights from data. Advanced statistical procedures help ensure high accuracy and quality decision making. All facets of the analytics lifecycle are included, from data preparation and management to analysis and reporting.


IBM SPSS Statistics Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsWindows, Mac
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

SPSS Statistics is a software package used for statistical analysis. It is now officially named "IBM SPSS Statistics". Companion products in the same family are used for survey authoring and deployment (IBM SPSS Data Collection), data mining (IBM SPSS Modeler), text analytics, and collaboration and deployment (batch and automated scoring services).

Reviewers rate Implementation Rating highest, with a score of 8.7.

The most common users of IBM SPSS Statistics are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Reviews and Ratings

(436)

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 48)
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Samira Islam Resmi | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
It is a perfect tool for any type of dataset analysis that I need for my research project and works flawlessly when it comes to survey-related tasks. My supervised research student also used it for their survey-based research work efficiently and they got an outstanding result using IBM SPSS Statistics as well.
  • Simply best for analysis
  • Best for large data set using Likert scale base questionnaire
  • It was used for numerous statistical analysis smoothly
  • programming language may be added
  • Output as figures, like different types of charts, may be improved.
  • A customized price plan is possible.
Rapid and precise responses are provided by IBM SPSS Statistics, which is one of the basic requirements for me as a faculty member as well as a researcher. I got a suggestion from my colleagues to use it for my research work, and I found it suitable, so researchers may use it.
Alimah Feizah | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS Statistics is a great product on effective predictive analytics generation and to coordinate with other projects members via the platform is amazing. The ability to process a huge volume of different data and data cleansing functions are very useful and on my implementation of IBM SPSS Statistics the operation was easyand successful.
  • Statistics analytics tools.
  • Data visualization ability is very reliable.
  • Budgeting features.
  • Data recovering functions.
  • Just on processing big volume of data the process can be slow.
  • Recovering multiple big data.
  • Configuration of Cloud options when new to the tool.
Using IBM SPSS Statistics is more productive, especially on multiple business data processing at the same time and data visualization features are excellent. Creating amazing data reports and the prediction capability through IBM SPSS Statistics is impressive. This IBM Cloud platform enables easy prediction of next next operations outcome and the machine learning ability is perfect.
March 22, 2024

GOOD SOFTWARE IBM

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
thanks to the fact that IBM® SPSS® Statistics is an incredible statistical software platform, we can make decisions in real time in our company. Its use is very intuitive and the price is relatively economical. Our main problem before acquiring the software was the large amount of data we had and that we did not take advantage of for decision making.
  • classify results using neural network models
  • allows sharing analysis data in the company
  • allows testing theories before production
  • highly complex systems for certain employees
  • requires prior knowledge
Although the use of IBM SPSS statistics requires prior knowledge, its user interface is quite intuitive and easy to use, you do not need to write codes for daily use. It integrates with other tools without any problem. Use in hotel chains, for example, where there is a lot of customer information, makes this great tool essential.It may be less appropriate for companies without offices or few clients.
Md Masudul Hassan | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I used IBM SPSS Statistics to run a variety of statistical tests, both inferential and descriptive, for my research work.

Correlations and regressions are just two important aspects of IBM SPSS Statistics commonly used by my supervised students in their thesis papers. I quickly find insights and produce useful recommendations with the help of IBM SPSS Statistics data analysis tools.
  • Productive Data Management Tools
  • Easily usable interface for academicians, researchers and others
  • Giving users access to some features for free at first and allowing them to customize pricing options would be advantageous to academics, researchers, and students in developing nations as well.
  • Graph-related output may improve.
There are numerous statistical tests in it. Excel and some other files can be inserted into it, and they can perform some excellent statistical analysis for research easily. With so many languages available, it's the perfect accessibility for everybody, and thus it helps researchers, academicians, students, and others for efficient output.
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS Statistics enables my organisation to address a range of data analytics challenges. We frequently use it for interrogating datasets, generating descriptive statistics, performing a range of hypothesis tests, and creating data visualisations. In my business area we tend to use it for regression modelling, particularly using the multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression approaches.
  • Easily enables a range of statistical tests and procedures
  • Easy-to-use interface
  • More simple to learn for beginners
  • Limited options for performing bespoke types of analysis
  • Limited options for customising data visualisations
  • Can be laggy with large datasets
In general, I would recommend an advanced data analyst should use R or Python, rather than IBM SPSS Statistics. However, not everybody needs the advanced functionality offered by R and Python, and many people find coding to be quite challenging and intimidating. For these people, I would say that IBM SPSS Statistics is perfect, because it offers an interface which is much easier to use whilst still accommodating the range of statistical tests and procedures that most users will most commonly require.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Run regression analysis on small and large data sets with adjustable CI. I have been using this for many years, and the modeling has been helpful in the predictors; yes, the output is basic but that is what makes this nice and clean, and it can be imported to reports easily and presented well on a slide deck.
  • Easy to use.
  • Don't need a lot of data prep to manipulate the data or clean it.
  • Running a bit old in the UI.
Quick and standardized models can be adopted by co-op students to run these models or create new ones as this is widely used in university, so the learning curve is shallow.
February 14, 2024

A Data-Driven Staple

Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS Statistics addresses critical business problems for my UX research team, providing helpful capabilities for analyzing quantitative data from user research studies. SPSS allows us to process and interpret large datasets, translating insights into user behavior, preferences, and trends. It allows us to make data-driven decisions to enhance our products. Our use case encompasses various stages of the user research/design process, including survey design, data collection, and analysis. SPSS enables us to efficiently clean data, perform statistical analyses, and generate clear and insightful visualizations to communicate findings effectively to stakeholders. Leveraging SPSS, we can streamline our research workflow, accelerate the pace of insights generation, and ensure that our design decisions are validated by data.
  • conducting advanced statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression, etc.)
  • data management (cleaning, manipulation, transformation)
  • data visualization (creating charts/graphs/plots that are clear and insightful)
  • collaboration - SPSS lacks collaboration features which makes it near impossible to collaborate with my team on analysis. We have to send files back and forth, which is tedious.
  • integration - I wish SPSS had integration capabilities with some of the other tools that I use (e.g., Airtable, Figma, etc.)
  • user interface - this could definitely be modernized. In my experience, the UI is clunky and feels dated, which can negatively impact my experience using the tool.
SPSS is well-suited for the following: 1) User Behavior Analysis: SPSS handles large datasets to analyze user behavior data. 2) Customer Satisfaction / Foundational Surveys: SPSS facilitates analysis of quant data from satisfaction surveys, keeping us informed about customer needs and preferences. 3) A/B test analysis: SPSS statistical tools for A/B test analysis, which helps optimize user experience of our products.

Scenarios where SPSS are less appropriate: 1) Qualitative Data Analysis: I do not use SPSS for open-ended survey responses/qual data. 2) Live/in-vivo data analysis: SPSS is not ideal for real-time data processing. 3) Complex Data Integration: SPSS isn’t the best fit for complex data integration tasks
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use IBM SPSS Statistics for research purposes. I run data analyses such as regression, t-tests, and ANOVA. I added a PROCESS module to run additional analyses in SPSS, such as moderated mediation analysis. In addition, I added the SPSS AMOS to run structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis to test relationships between latent and observed variables.
  • Handles my data set well when performing data analysis.
  • Script is easy to setup and use in SPSS.
  • There is a plethora of statistical tests there are available in SPSS.
  • It would be beneficial to have AMOS as part of the SPSS package instead of purchasing it separately.
  • It would be beneficial to have other statistical tests, such as PROCESS, be part of the standard SPSS tests instead of having the need to run a syntax to have it installed.
  • My dataset tends to be smaller, and I have never had any issues with using SPSS. I heard that SPSS may not be optimal when handling large datasets.
I have been a long-time user of SPSS. I am very, very satisfied with how well it helps me analyze my datasets. I never ran into any issues with SPSS when performing data analyses. I must purchase AMOS separately as SPSS doesn't run structural equation modeling (SEM). Having it as part of the SPSS standard package would be nice, but I understand that not all users need SEM.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS Statistics was chosen to reduce the time data analytics is completed. The results has allowed us to use predictive analysis allowing teams to work more efficiently to solve issues. IBM SPSS Statistics is solid when working on complex analysis allowing for data to saved for validation testing or examples on the ability of IBM SPSS Statistics.
  • Data Conversion
  • Variable creation from data analysis
  • reduce time needed to analyze actionable data
  • very large data sets reduces IBM SPSS Statistics capabilities
  • some functions present usability difficulty
  • a more user friendly and robust dashboard
IBM SPSS Statistics works when looking to reduce the time it takes to take action on relevant data making it a key to your statistical strategy solution. For example, if using data gathered from psychologists the patients can benefit from statistical results to put together a wellness plan gather from actionable data from larger groups.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Analyzing large datasets from surveys we've conducted on all students. Crosstabs, frequency tables, and exploratory data.
  • Descriptive statistics.
  • Select cases.
  • Recodes
  • Easier navigation of custom tables/crosstabs.
  • Better visualizations.
  • Easier to copy and paste tables and vizes.
Overall, if you need something quick, SPSS is a great tool to use. If you really want to manipulate data or format it, using something like R would be better.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
At our institution we use IBM SPSS Statistics to support classroom learning and for insights and data analysis that support administrative decision making. In the classroom we use IBM SPSS Statistics in courses as varied as MAT 221 Probability and Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences and a variety of applied research classes within the psychology department. In addition, IBM SPSS Statistics is used frequently to support complex data analysis for both undergraduate honors and graduate business courses and research.
  • Multivariate statistical analysis
  • Cross tab analysis using non-parametric tests of significance
  • Data analysis leading to data conversion and data cleaning
  • I've found some of the features do not change in functionality from version to version, but where to find those features does change from version to version.
  • Overly complex dialog boxes can make analysis cumbersome in my opinion.
  • The lack of the ability to turn on a real-world statistical coach can be problematic for less experienced users who don't understand the subtle differences between tests of significance or when to choose what analysis.
IBM SPSS Statistics absolutely rocks at complex analysis. When data need to be converted, or new variables created based on a calculation between variables, or results saved for individual tests, IBM SPSS Statistics really can't be beaten. In my opinion, where IBM SPSS Statistics falls down a bit is that its mainframe roots show through at times in some of the dialogue boxes. If one has been using the product since its mainframe days, this is no big barrier. If one is a brand new user with no mainframe experience, this can be a bit of a steep learning curve.
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I am a currently an independent consultant with a contract with a nonprofit organization where I had worked for almost 30 years as a researcher or as an IT director. I also have 10 years experience as an Institutional Research Director at a large urban community college, from which I retired 4 years ago.
  • Generates results quickly
  • Easy to ready output
  • Easy to manage
  • Better documentation
  • Problem with complex billing process for an individual subscriber. Seems hard for IBM SPSS Statistics to understand that I'm on my own, not in a big organization. Most individuals are probably now using "R" instead of IBM SPSS Statistics, but my decades of using IBM SPSS Statistics make me more comfortable with it, even as I started off on IBM SPSS Statistics using punch cards. :-)
  • Logistic Regression should be in the base subscription level, particularly for education research. I was annoyed that I lost access to it between projects without any notice and had to pay more to get it back.
If someone is starting off new with statistics, I probably would recommend using R instead, even though I don't like it as well. I note that many of the features I now am using in IBM SPSS Statistics actually come from R, according to the most recent update. IBM SPSS Statistics seems like a classic luxury car when many individual users might be just as happy with an e-bike. It also seems that IBM is probably more interested in developing AI and machine learning and less interested in people who need to analyze survey data accurately and quickly for education or marketing, in my opinion.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I work in a research project which is based on the clinical trial (RCT) in public health. This project collects data of various trial participants, especially men and women. The data includes various socio-demographic information, such as; age, gender, marital status, work status, place of residence (rural/urban), city, state and components of wealth index. In addition to socio-demographic information, the data also includes information on bio-chemical characteristics of the participants. I use IBM SPSS Statistics in order to clean, edit, labelling of variables and data analytics. Pros of IBM SPSS Statistics · Easy to handle without specific training · The visualization of data through various statistical graphs (such as; bar-diagram, pie-chart, scatter plot and other graphs) is easier . Testing of various statistical hypothesis is easier using mouse based options · The software also provides options to check and remove missing values · One can also do predictive modeling using IBM SPSS Statistics such as; linear regression, logistics regression, multinomial regression Cons of IBM SPSS Statistics · mostly works on in-built functions within the software, so an advanced analysis, such as; multivariate decomposition, non-linear decompositions and other advance analytics aren’t feasible · Some machine learning aspects, such as density based spatial clustering of applications with noise, moral plots, LISA cluster mapping etc., cannot be produced using IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Cross-tabulation
  • In-built inferential analyses
  • Data cleaning
  • Predictive modelling
  • IMB SPSS lacks some advanced analytics, such as multivariate decompostion
  • Non-linear fair lee decomposition
  • Advanced Spatial Analyses
  • Moran's plot
IBM SPSS Statistics is good in producing basic and some specific analyses, such as regression modeling, pair plot, scatter plot, box plot etc. This software also provides an option to estimate 95% CI with box plot (easy clickable option). There are various features like converting complex text data into analysable data. The software can help a beginner with no special training in handling. However, the software also provides an option to use or write syntax for statistical analyses. But, the rules of syntax or commands are completely restricted, as these are pre-defined texts or commands for specific analyses. IBM SPSS Statistics lacks in, for producing results through an advanced statistical analysis (using complex data).
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS is being used at my organization by the Organizational Performance Department. We use it to evaluate our programs and to research topics in the social services area. Results are then used in presentations, publications, and shared with our program directors to create action plans for organizational and program improvement.
  • analyzes data sets quickly
  • high accuracy
  • allows you to analze large and complex data sets
  • cost
  • not as easy to use on VERY large data sets
Perfect for small or medium businesses or non-profits with medium and large data sets. Might not be as effective in the clinical/medical field where you are dealing with massive data sets.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS is currently be used by the research department in our organization. We are in the business of public opinion research so we need software that can analyze data, run statistical analysis, and also process data. It helps our organization make informed decisions based off of the data and other inputs.
  • Statistical analysis
  • Data views on the respondent level
  • Recoding variables
  • Can be slow
  • Interface is outdated
  • Very basic and doesn't handle LARGE datasets very well
  • Merging datasets
SPSS is well suited when you are dealing with respondent level data and need to clean, recode, or make changes. It's one of the only softwares that I always go back to using as it is the foundation of statistical software programs.
It might not be very useful when looking at BIG data, but it works for reviewing survey data.
Prashant Choudhary | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use IBM SPSS for data visualization and analysis. It is a good tool for analysis of things like regression, both linear and logistics. What sets it apart for our organization is the use we have for it creates multiple tables with varied parameters and features. It does all the required functions for data analysis, especially for our survey processes that we provide to the client; it lacks the data collection module, though.
  • Data visualization
  • Data Analysis
  • Data modeling
  • Tabular creation & modification
  • User-friendly UI
  • Compatibility with several other software and the ability to save files in a multitude of extensions
  • Random forest function is still missing
  • It needs better tools for data collection, becomes tedious with an extensive dataset collection.
  • UI could use some tweaks
  • Should derive from R, Numpy and pandas for various functions that are coming out as the new data analysis packages
  • Needs more flexibility in including new features
IBM SPSS is most suited for analysis of survey data, wherein you have large datasets to perform data analysis of, while deriving relationships between several variables and function, meanwhile interaction is with multiple fields and tabular on nature, i.e., uses a lot of tables, and various relationships are derived on comparison of several fields with several others
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use SPSS in our research (couples program) and in a better understanding of our program development (MCAT). We provide mental competency to stand trial training and it is imperative that we monitor and track each person's progress to ensure that the program is working in increasing competency of the people enrolled in the program. We use the SPSS program to better understand our hiring procedures as well as marketing practices.
  • SPSS has a very nice interface and keeps their interface consistent, even after 20 years of use.
  • Analyzing data is very quick and easy there is no programming required.
  • Some coding and saving codes for further analysis saves time.
  • SPSS is not free and is fairly pricey.
  • For those requiring advanced procedures not on SPSS, programmable coding, like in R Statistics, may be more limited and not as robust and use of R or other programs might be needed.
  • Statistical Package for Social Sciences and can only be used to perform only statistical operations. Further purchases of other packages will be required.
  • Default graphics are far from publication quality. Generally, it’s better to use other programs for graphics.
  • Information about effect size and confidence intervals is missing for many techniques.
SPSS is most suited for most researchers, although for power size and other uses will require further purchases or use of other programs to account for the limitations that SPSS might have. It can handle heavy data and there should not be any limitations for multiple variables. It may not be suited for those looking for a more robust and programmable option. Also, for those on a budget, other sources like R-Statistics might be better suited.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Currently IBM SPSS is being used in many different areas. Our faculty employ it to handle data for amazing research. Our students are being exposed to it to help prepare for their real-world jobs. As a staff member, we enjoying its functionality when handling business duties.
  • Handling statistical data without a need for a separate program.
  • Easy to export the information out to other forms.
  • As a great product, SPSS is still lacking in how it handles regression data. The feature is only useable in the statistics program if you are already experienced.
  • SPSS should be easier to interpret with screen readers for disabled users.
IBM SPSS has worked out very well for us. However, some of the more popular modules are not easily obtained due to pricing. The licensing structure should be simpler as well.
December 06, 2019

SPSS

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use IBM SPSS as a student and it is used by students and instructors in the PhD programs. It is used for research analysis by both instructors and students in various classes, as well as in personal data collection and presentation for dissertations. Since it is the major tool used for data analysis, it allows teachers and students to be on the same page and to also easily find resources to help when they need answers.
  • The categorizing and organization of large amounts of data.
  • Presenting data in easy to read charts and graphs.
  • Consistent data presentation and results.
  • The Mac versions struggles with crashing, etc.
  • It runs slowly and tends to use up a lot of processing power.
While SPSS is not perfect, there is no other tool as powerful for working with statistics. This tool is perfect for universities and students who are pursuing research. Honestly, most PhD students could probably not graduate without SPSS as their statistics tool. I think that this tool could also be useful for any corporate data that needed to be crunched.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
SPSS is available throughout my organization. It's mainly used by faculty, staff, and students in the analysis of data.
  • Clear and user-friendly interface.
  • Potential to analyze large data sets.
  • The output graphics could be improved to make it more appealing to the eye.
SPSS is great for people starting out with statistical analysis because it is easy to use. SPSS may not be so great for people with a coding background who are more inclined to write codes instead of click on buttons.
Shelby Bowden | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use IBM SSPS both as a department wide tool and within our smaller lab group. It is primarily used to handle larger statistical analysis problems than can be handled with more simple programs such as Microsoft Excel. The geospatial aspects of it are especially useful and are accessed very regularly.
  • Geospatial analysis functions
  • Large dataset capability
  • Smooth modeling
  • Difficult user interface
  • Hard to switch between programs
  • Better export of visual aids
IBM SSPS is one of the best geospatial analysis tools on the market, possibly only exceeded by ArcGIS. It is very good with handling large and complicated datasets and manipulating these for statistical purposes. Unfortunately it can be a little non-user friendly and takes quite a bit of time to get used to.
Chris Keran | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
SPSS is used only within our Member Insights Department and is used as our primary quantitative analysis tool. We use SPSS to handle all of our survey data needs, except for data collection. We use it to extract data out of our membership SQL database, pull a random sample of relevant members, match up to our collected survey data with relevant stored member data, and analyze the survey results to include in our reports and presentations. Our analyses always include descriptive measures (frequencies or means/medians), often include inferential measures (e.g., chi-square, ANOVA), and less frequently predictive measures as well (e.g., logistic regression).
  • Biggest advantage: allows us to save all of our data manipulation and analysis instructions (SPSS calls it "Syntax") so that we can understand what we did, say, one year from now. This can be critical, especially if you are conducting year-over-year comparisons, or re-analyzing data in a new way after the primary reporting has been completed. Pretty tough to understand what was all done, say, in an Excel spreadsheet.
  • Has all of the analytic capabilities we have needed so far (well, except for Random Forest).
  • We use the Tables module a ton to create most of our crosstab kind of results, and SPSS gives you a lot of flexibility to create different kinds of tables with the same set of data.
  • I learned SPSS when only Syntax was available, but I really appreciate being able to browse through the menus, and then just paste the Syntax you need. It also comes in handy when you're just playing, trying out different ways to look at the data.
  • SPSS has for a long time touted it's "new and improved" graphing capabilities, and while they are that, they still have flexibility issues (or I just haven't found how to correctly use the software). For instance, why are data labels in a bar chart restricted to appearing only within the bar itself? Sure, you can have them at the bottom, middle, or near the top of the bar, but why not, say, just above the bar?
  • When dealing with qualitative data, say comments from survey respondents, occasionally we run into characters likely typed by the respondent, which SPSS doesn't know how to handle, so it converts it to a space. It took me a while to figure out that it wasn't a space at all, and was wondering why my Syntax wasn't working (still assuming it was a space). It would help if SPSS could convert unknown characters to something more obvious.
  • Biggest headache using SPSS is dealing with the IBM hierarchy when needing customer support or even upgrading to the new version (which comes out annually). In order to upgrade to v26 in April 2019, I eventually found out I needed not just an Authorization Code, nor a Full License Code, but also a Lock Code and spent way too many hours attempting to straighten this out with IBM customer support. I handle purchasing the upgrades too, and that task is not straightforward either. I miss the SPSS support before they were acquired by IBM.
SPSS is well suited to our survey data and analysis needs (but not data collection). It also works well for our data mining needs. Most of the staff I hire were exposed to SPSS in college, but either way, there is a learning period to understand how to document your work using Syntax (even if pasted from the menus) and I utilize mostly online resources to help them get up to speed.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
As an IT professional in the Student Affairs division of the California State University system, I recently had the opportunity to undertake a data research project examining the impact of computer- vs. paper-based administration on writing proficiency assessment scores, across a large number of demographic dimensions. Being fortunate to have access to a very large number of cases (greater than 40,000), I needed to upgrade from spreadsheet statistical analysis packages to a professional statistical product -- both to expedite the overall number-crunching, but importantly to take advantage of automation opportunities such software packages can provide. I chose SPSS as it enjoys substantial support on my campus.
  • SPSS has been around for quite a while and has amassed a large suite of functionality. One of its longest-running features is the ability to automate SPSS via scripting, AKA "syntax." There is a very large community of practice on the internet who can help newbies to quickly scale up their automation abilities with SPSS. And SPSS allows users to save syntax scripting directly from GUI wizards and configuration windows, which can be a real life-saver if one is not an experienced coder.
  • Many statistics package users are doing scientific research with an eye to publish reproducible results. SPSS allows you to save datasets and syntax scripting in a common format, facilitating attempts by peer reviewers and other researchers to quickly and easily attempt to reproduce your results. It's very portable!
  • SPSS has both legacy and modern visualization suites baked into the base software, giving users an easily mountable learning curve when it comes to outputting charts and graphs. It's very easy to start with a canned look and feel of an exported chart, and then you can tweak a saved copy to change just about everything, from colors, legends, and axis scaling, to orientation, labels, and grid lines. And when you've got a chart or graph set up the way you like, you can export it as an image file, or create a template syntax to apply to new visualizations going forward.
  • SPSS makes it easy for even beginner-level users to create statistical coding fields to support multidimensional analysis, ensuring that you never need to destructively modify your dataset.
  • In closing, SPSS's long and successful tenure ensures that just about any question a new user may have about it can be answered with a modicum of Google-fu. There are even several fully-fledged tutorial websites out there for newbie perusal.
  • SPSS syntax is somewhat archaic, no doubt due to its long tenure and a desire to maintain backwards compatibility, so it may add to the learning curve for otherwise experienced script writers.
  • The syntax editing window is somewhat unwieldy when compared to modern IDEs, and can be laggy; sometimes mouse cursor accuracy is unpredictable when one attempts to select a particular word or line of syntax.
  • Counterintuitively, perhaps, SPSS has so many ways to achieve the same ends -- GUI, syntax, legacy functions vs. updated functions for visualizations, etc. -- that it can be hard for new users to find the "right" (quickest, simplest, most transparent) way to do things; it's an embarrassment of riches that may confuse and overwhelm novices.
SPSS is well-suited for academic environments, given the strong foothold it has in the educational and research institutions of the world; it helps if your institution has a licensing agreement as it is not free to use indefinitely (although a 14-day free trial is available). As it is a powerful and complex statistical analysis package, it is a good fit for large and otherwise unwieldy datasets and analytical projects.

SPSS is probably not a great fit for individual users doing simple statistical analysis, as much of this level of work can be accomplished at no cost using Google Sheets and an add-on such as the XLMiner package.
February 08, 2019

IBM SPSS Review

Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
IBM SPSS is an analytics software, also used for data mining that enables users to conduct basic and advanced statistical analyses. I used SPSS departmental for a period of time to facilitate a team outside my main organisation to cross-validate results coming from different tools. The platform proved quite easy to get used to and the simplicity of the software made the research convenient.
  • Ability to handle large volumes of data
  • User-friendly that makes the software easy to understand
  • No special technical knowledge is needed since everything, from testing statistical models to predictive analytics, is already implemented
  • The simplicity of the interface make the teaching process to other members of the team very fast and efficient
  • There are other great statistical software packages that are open source
  • The simplicity and user-friendliness of SPSS comes with a functionality trade-off
  • The functions of SPSS lack in terms of graphical capability which can be a major obstacle to a novel data analyst
Overall, I can see how IBM SPSS can be used by teams with simple objectives when it comes to analytics. It is similarly very appropriate for teaching students about basic notions of applied statistics. However, compared with other statistical software and programming languages, it does not come with great advantages in terms of computational capabilities and customization.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use IBM SPSS for our small start-up business. It helps us see where we started, what we have accomplished, what we need help on, and what is expected to occur next, according to our data.
  • Very easy to use. The interface is easy for beginners.
  • User-friendly.
  • It has a broad range of statistical uses, especially when dealing with large data sets.
  • The visual output depiction is not at the quality I would expect.
  • It has taken extensive amounts of time to find syntax issues.
  • I have to use other programs for things like visuals, and that is not time effective.
Overall, it is best suited for determining the value of our products and services, and determining how the value of those products will hold. It is also great, in that respect, for decision making. We rely on it a lot for the organization of our statistical data. Like I have mentioned before, we do not rely on it for visual representations of our data.
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