Risk-of-bias VISualization (robvis): An R package and Shiny web app for visualizing risk-of-bias assessments

Despite a major increase in the range and number of software offerings now available to help researchers produce evidence syntheses, there is currently no generic tool for producing figures to display and explore the risk-of-bias assessments that routinely take place as part of systematic review. However, tools such as the R programming environment and Shiny (an R package for building interactive web apps) have made it straightforward to produce new tools to help in producing evidence syntheses. We present a new tool, robvis (Risk-Of-Bias VISualization), available as an R package and web app, which facilitates rapid production of publication-quality risk-of-bias assessment figures. We present a timeline of the tool's development and its key functionality.

Automated summary

Despite the availability of numerous software options for evidence synthesis, there is currently no universal tool for generating figures to display and explore risk-of-bias assessments. However, tools such as the R programming environment and Shiny have made it easy to create new tools for producing evidence syntheses. The new tool robvis facilitates the rapid production of publication-quality risk-of-bias assessment figures and is available as an R package and web app.