Sankey charts are a type of data visualization that can effectively represent how data or energy flows between different entities. They were first introduced in the 18th century by Matthew Henry Phineas Riall, who used them to depict the circulation of trade in England. The purpose of a Sankey diagram is to clearly show the direction, magnitude, and nature of flows between different entities, making it easier to understand complex systems and processes.
Creation of Sankey charts involves several steps that help you create a clear and meaningful representation of your data. Here are the steps:

1. Define the entities: Before creating a Sankey chart, you need to define the entities that are involved in the flow. For example, if you are creating a chart to represent the flow of money in an economy, the entities could be industries, countries, or sectors.
2. Collect the data: Once you have defined the entities, you need to collect the data that will be represented in the chart. This data should be in the form of a table that includes the source, destination, and flow value for each connection between the entities.
3. Create the chart: With the data collected, you can now create the Sankey chart using a charting tool or software program. The Sankey diagram consists of a set of nodes representing the entities, arrows representing the flow between the nodes, and the width of the arrows representing the amount of flow.
4. Customize the chart: To make your Sankey chart more visually appealing and easier to understand, you can customize it with colors, labels, and other visual elements. You can also include tooltips or hover effects to provide additional information about each connection.

Applications of Sankey charts are diverse and widespread. Here are a few examples:

1. Energy flow diagrams: Sankey charts are commonly used to represent the flow of energy in a system, showing how energy moves from one source to another through various intermediaries.
2. Traffic flow diagrams: Sankey diagrams can also be used to represent traffic flow in transportation systems, showing how traffic moves between different destinations and the volume of traffic that flows through each link.
3. Financial flow diagrams: In finance, Sankey charts can be used to represent the flow of money between different entities, such as investments, dividends, and expenses.
4. Business process diagrams: Sankey diagrams can also be used to represent the flow of customers through a business process, such as the flow of customers through a sales pipeline or the flow of data through a supply chain.

In conclusion, Sankey charts are an effective and visually appealing way to represent the flow of data or energy between different entities. By following the steps outlined above for creating a Sankey chart, you can easily create meaningful and informative visualizations that can aid in understanding complex systems and processes.

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.