Sankey charts, also known as flow charts, are a popular representation of flow data used to visualize the distribution of resources, materials, or data through a system. These unique charts were first introduced by British mining engineer Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey in the late 19th century. Since then, they have evolved into a potent tool to analyze and understand complex data flow problems in various sectors like energy, economics, and environmental science.
What are Sankey charts?
Sankey charts, named after their inventor Sankey, are graphical representations that visually emphasize material, energy, or data flows. They display resources or quantities at their source and destination, showing the magnitude and direction of flow visually using colored pathways. The size of the arrows indicates the flow volume, allowing you to decipher how much of a specific input is moving from one side of your system to another.
Components of a Sankey Chart
- Sources: The starting points of the flow. They typically have wide rectangular or oval openings.
- Links: Known as arrows or conduits, these illustrate the connection between sources and destinations.
- Destinations: These represent the end points, often depicted as narrower, leaf-like shapes.
- Links with flows: These include the direction and volume (quantified by the width of the arrow) of the flow between the nodes.
- Labels: These can denote the names of the sources, destinations, or the flow volume, enhancing the interpretability of the chart.
Creating Sankey Charts
Sankey diagrams are not challenging to create, especially with numerous online tools and software that have simplified the process:
1. Use Online Tools
Several web-based platforms offer simple, drag-and-drop interfaces to create Sankey diagrams:
– Peltier Tech’s Sankey Chart Generator utilizes the Microsoft Excel software to generate these charts. It provides templates and guides for creating accurate visualizations.
– Canva, DrawingSankey, and MindMeister also offer straightforward ways to design Sankey diagrams, allowing easy input and visualization adjustments without deep technical knowledge.
2. Professional Software
For more detailed customization and complex data handling needs, professional software like Tableau, Qlik Sense, and Power BI can be utilized. These tools offer comprehensive options for data manipulation and visualization, including Sankey diagrams. They not only cater to data analysis but also provide a wide range of customization options to present data in a meaningful way.
Applications of Sankey Charts
Energy Sector
Sankey diagrams are instrumental in visualizing the energy flow from sources like fossil fuels, renewable energy, or nuclear power to their various end uses, helping policymakers and stakeholders make informed decisions on energy efficiency and the transition toward sustainable practices.
Economics
In economics, Sankey diagrams provide insights into financial flows, such as trade, capital investment, or income distribution, demonstrating how economic contributions move across regions or industries.
Environmental Science
Environmental scientists use these charts to analyze and mitigate pollution sources, illustrating how pollutants travel through ecosystems and assess the effectiveness of environmental policies.
Project Management
In project management, Sankey diagrams can depict work effort distribution across tasks and activities, optimizing resource allocation and enhancing the visibility of workflow processes.
Supply Chain Analysis
Sankey charts also play a pivotal role in supply chain management, visualizing the flow of goods, services, or data, enabling organizations to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, facilitating continuous improvement.
Conclusion
Sankey charts are a powerful tool for businesses, scientists, and analysts to visualize complex data flow dynamics. From energy networks to supply chain management, these versatile visualizations can uncover patterns, bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. Embracing Sankey charts can lead to more informed decision-making, enhanced collaboration, and ultimately, optimized performance across various industries. As our data flows continuously become more complex, leveraging the magic of Sankey charts to visualize these flows can become an indispensable analytical tool.
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