Sankey charts, also known as flowcharts, are a type of diagram that visualize the flow of materials, information, or energy through a system. They are particularly useful for understanding complex systems and identifying opportunities for improvement. In this article, we will explore the basics of creating Sankey charts, as well as the many applications of this powerful visualization tool.

What is a Sankey Chart?

Sankey charts are named after the British engineer Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and are often used to illustrate the flow of materials through a system. They consist of a set of interconnected circles, with the flow of materials or information depicted as arrows connecting the circles. The circles represent different nodes, or points of origin anddestination in the system. The arrows indicate the direction and rate of flow of materials through the system.

Creating a Sankey Chart

Creating a Sankey chart involves several steps:

1. Identify the nodes and their attributes: The first step in creating a Sankey chart is to identify the nodes in the system. These can be places, people, processes, or other elements of the system. Each node should have a unique label, as well as relevant attributes such as location, function, or input/output.
2. Define the flow relationships: Next, the flow relationships between the nodes should be defined. These are the arrows that represent the flow of materials, information, or energy through the system. The direction and rate of flow should be specified for each arrow.
3. Choose the visualization style: There are many different styles for creating Sankey charts, ranging from simple textscreens to more complex graphical interfaces. Some popular software tools for creating Sankey charts include Microsoft Excel, Lucidchart, or Visio.
4. Customize the chart to your needs: Finally, the chart can be customized to your specific needs by adjusting the chart attributes, adding notes or comments, or exporting the chart to a different format.

Applications of Sankey Charts

Sankey charts are highly versatile and can be applied to a wide range of systems and domains. Some common applications of Sankey charts include:

1. Process improvement: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials, information, or energy through a process, highlighting bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
2. Supply chain management: Sankey charts can be used tomap out the flow of goods and services through a supply chain, identifying potential risks and opportunities for optimization.
3. Environmental monitoring: Sankey charts can be used to illustrate the flow of materials, energy, or pollutants through an ecosystem, helping to identify areas of concern and potential sources of pollution.
4. Economic analysis: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of goods and services through an economy, highlighting areas of growth, decline, or potential imbalances.
5. Organizational planning: Sankey charts can be used to map out the flow of information, resources, or tasks within an organization, helping to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.

Conclusion

Sankey charts are a powerful visualization tool that can help you to understand and improve complex systems. By visualizing the flow of materials, information, or energy through a system, they can help you to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. With their versatility and flexibility, Sankey charts have many applications across a wide range of domains and fields.

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