Streamline Your Data Story: The Versatile Beauty of Sankey Charts Unveiled
In the vast world of data visualization, the Sankey diagram stands as a curious outlier, a diagram that simultaneously challenges the traditional flow of information and provides an elegant tool for understanding complex processes. Sankey charts, with their flowing, V-shaped paths, are more than mere charts—they are narratives in motion that help tell the story of where data energy goes and how resources are distributed.
What is a Sankey Chart?
Sankey charts are flow diagrams used to visualize the quantities of energy, materials, or costs associated with the transfer of information or work from one process to another. These diagrams originated in the 19th century, when they were first used to represent the energy conversion process in steam engines. Today, they are utilized far beyond their initial domain, providing deep insights into a range of activities from the efficiency of a company’s operations to the distribution of carbon emissions.
Key Characteristics of Sankey Charts
1. V-shaped paths: Sankey charts are characterized by their nodes and V-shaped paths. These paths represent the flow of materials, energy, or information from one process to another, often connecting processes that share an input or output.
2. Energy conservation law: The area of each V-shaped path is proportional to the quantity of energy, materials, or money that flows through it. In other words, the area of the V-shaped path conveys the magnitude of the flow.
3. Efficiency of processes: At-a-glance, a Sankey chart can reveal the efficiency of various processes. Wider paths with a higher proportion of the chart’s surface area indicate a higher flow of material or energy, while narrower paths suggest inefficiencies, where less resource is being utilized.
4. Visual storytelling: The Sankey chart visually tells a story about the data. It allows for the easy interpretation of process relationships and the identification of potential bottlenecks or inefficiencies.
Sankey Chart Creation
Creating a Sankey chart is generally a three-step process:
1. Define the processes and measurements: Determine which processes you want to analyze and what data you want to measure. For example, if you are looking at supply chain or energy flow, identify different stages and the associated quantities.
2. Set the dimensions and scale: Decide on the scale for your Sankey diagram. This typically involves choosing node positions and making sure that the relationship between the flow sizes and the chart areas is correctly represented.
3. Design your paths: Design the V-shaped paths according to the chosen scale. Ensure that the paths make a clear and coherent visual story that reflects the relationship and magnitude of the flow between entities.
Software such as Excel (with specific add-ons), Tableau, Power BI, or dedicated Sankey chart software like SankeyDiagram can easily help you create these diagrams.
Applications of Sankey Charts
The versatility of Sankey diagrams is a testament to their practicality across a spectrum of industries:
1. Business Operations:
– Optimize operations and see where inefficiencies may be hiding.
– Visualize budget flows within your organization.
2. Logistics and Supply Chains:
– Show how materials flow through supply chains, highlighting bottlenecks and savings opportunities.
3. Energy Systems:
– Analyze the efficiency of energy systems and the flow of energy across processes.
4. Environmental Impact Assessment:
– Assess the environmental footprint of a process or product by identifying areas with the greatest emissions or material waste.
5. Data Analytics:
– View complex data relationships more intuitively, helping to identify trends and insights that may be hidden in traditional charts.
Final Thoughts
Sankey charts are a unique visualization tool that can transform data into a compelling, intuitive story. By depicting the flow of materials, energy, or information, these charts offer a visual narrative that is accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences. As we continue to generate and analyze data in greater volumes, the Sankey chart remains an invaluable tool for demystifying complex systems, making it an essential component of the data viz toolkit for any storyteller of data.
SankeyMaster
SankeyMaster is your go-to tool for creating complex Sankey charts . Easily enter data and create Sankey charts that accurately reveal intricate data relationships.
