A sankey chart is a type of diagram that helps visualize complex systems, including networks, flow of information, and material flows. It is a horizontal bar chart that shows the direction, velocity, and flow of data or resources.
In this article, I will provide you with an overview of sankey charts and their applications, and you will learn how to create them. I will also explain the meaning of keywords and terms used in sankey charts, such as “source”, “sink”, “flow direction”, “flow speed”, “flow ratio”, and “flow net”.
Sankey charts are primarily used for visualizing flow directions and flows. In complex systems, the direction of flow is critical to understanding how resources are distributed throughout the network. Therefore, sankey charts are a useful tool for analyzing and visualizing complex systems.
Here are the steps to create a sankey chart:
1. Define the data: The first step in creating a sankey chart is to define the data you want to visualize. This data can be in any format, such as text, numbers, or symbols. For example, if you want to visualize the number of people who have donated money to a charity, you can create a sankey chart that shows the direction of donations. The height of each bar represents the amount of money donated, and the color of each bar represents the type of donation, such as cash, check or credit card.
2. Choose the font: The next step is to choose the font for your sankey chart. The font should be large and clear enough to read easily. You can also use different colors to differentiate the flow ratios.
3. Choose the chart type: You can choose between a single bar or multiple bars chart. A single bar chart displays only the flow direction and doesn’t show the flow ratio. A multiple bars chart shows both the flow direction and the flow ratio.
Once you have defined the data, chosen the font and chart type, you can start creating a sankey chart.
For example:
1. Define the data: In this example, I want to visualize the flow of money from one charity to another. The data is a simple flow chart that shows the amount of money donated per person, and the direction of the flow.
2. Choose the font: I will choose a 30-point font for the sankey chart and make it bold.
3. Choose the chart type: I will choose a multiple bars chart to visualize the direction and flow ratio of the flow of money.
To make the sankey chart more informative and understandable, you can also include additional information, such as flow net, flow net ratio, and the amount of materials transported. This will help visualize the complex network of flow in the system.
Flow net: The flow net shows the total flow of an item in a flow network. The flow net is made up of bars with the same thickness as the original bars. The height of the bar shows the flow, and the length of the bar shows the duration of the flow.
Flow net ratio: The flow net ratio shows the ratio of the flow of the source in relation to the sink. This ratio is used to compare the flows between two nodes.
To create flow net, you can use the following formula:
Ratio = (Sink output / Source input) × 100%
For example, if the sink output is 50 liters and the source input is 20 liters, the flow net ratio is 50/20 * 100% = 250%
In summary, sankey charts are a useful tool for visualizing complex systems, including networks, flow of information, and material flows. By using sankey charts, you can make information more clear and understandable, and better understand the flow and direction of resources in the network.
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.
