Sankey charts combine a hierarchical representation with the ability to represent the flow of information, goods, or materials between nodes. It provides a clear visualization of the relationship between different entities in a system or network. The term “Sankey” is derived from the waterway system in England, which was used as a way to convey political and economic data.
Sankey diagrams were developed in the 19th century to represent the flows of water, such as draining water from one part of a system to another. However, its usage has extended to other areas, such as the representation of information or materials in data visualizations, as it can effectively capture complex relationships and flow patterns.
In creating a Sankey chart, you need to follow a few basic steps:

1. Identify the nodes: In the Sankey diagram, you typically have nodes representing different entities, and you need to determine which nodes are being connected by lines. The order of the nodes could reflect the hierarchy of their relationships. Alternatively, you can use the alphabetical order of the nodes.
2. Determine the direction of the flow: You need to determine whether the flow of the data represents a flow, in which case the direction of the flow is reversed.
3. Choose the scale and color: The scale represents the size or amount of the data, and the color represents different levels of flow. You can choose any scale and color you like.
4. Create the lines: The lines represent the flow of data and can be made with different line types and colors to differentiate between different types of data.
5. Draw the diagram: Finally, you need to draw the diagram by connecting the lines to the nodes. The connections should be smooth and visually appealing to enable the flow of data to be clearly understood.

Here are some practical examples and applications of the Sankey chart:

1. Sankey charts are used to visualize information flow in communication networks. For example, when communicating messages from one person to another, the flow of message could be visualized on a Sankey chart.
2. Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of goods and materials in a supply chain. When analyzing supply chain performance, supply chain managers can use a Sankey chart to visually represent the flow of goods between different suppliers.
3. Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of resources in a network of organizations. When analyzing the flow of resources between different organizations, the Sankey chart can help to visualize the flow of resources for strategic decision-making purposes.

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.