scFlowVis: Streamlining scRNA-seq Analysis through Visual Design

The rise of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies has increased the need for visual analytical tools. Current visualization tools often cater to specific analysis stages rather than the entire pipeline, and many analyses rely on computational notebooks requiring significant programming skills. To address these challenges, we developed scFlowVis, a web-based visualization application designed in collaboration with bioinformatics and biological experts. scFlowVis supports the entire analysis pipeline for scRNA-seq data, providing visualization and interactive assistance throughout the process without programming. It dynamically links panel functionalities, allowing users to explore data attributes, compare parameters, and document workflows visually. The tool can also recommend appropriate visualizations based on data characteristics. Our experiences highlight the challenges and lessons in developing visualization
tools for similar research contexts. scFlowVis has been released on https://github.com/EavanXing0416/scFlowVis.