The Sankey chart is a visual representation of the flow and transformation of materials, information, or energy between entities. It was developed by William Sankey in the early 20th century and is commonly used to display complex systems and processes. In this article, we will explore the art of creating Sankey charts and the many applications of this powerful visualization tool.
How to Create Sankey Charts
To create a Sankey chart, you first need to have data that describes the flow of materials, information, or energy between entities. The data should include information such as the source, the target, and the amount of flow. Once you have this information, you can use a Sankey chart software program to create the chart.
There are many software programs available for creating Sankey charts, including SankeyMaker, PySankey, and D3.js. These programs allow you to customize the chart design and add additional features such as filters, links, and annotations.
Sankey Chart Applications
Sankey charts offer a powerful way to visualize complex systems and processes. They are commonly used in the following applications:
- Environmental Science: Sankey charts are used to visualize the flow of materials, such as carbon, nitrogen, and water, through ecosystems. This helps researchers understand how ecosystems work and how they can be managed to protect biodiversity.
- Supply Chain Management: Sankey charts are used to visualize the flow of materials and products through a supply chain. This helps companies identify potential bottlenecks and improve efficiency.
- Financial Analysis: Sankey charts are used to visualize the flow of funds between different accounts. This helps analysts understand the financial health of an organization and identify areas for improvement.
- Social Network Analysis: Sankey charts are used to visualize the flow of information and connections between individuals in a social network. This helps researchers understand the structure of social networks and identify key players.
In conclusion, the Sankey chart is a powerful visualization tool that can be used in a variety of applications to help understand complex systems and processes. With the right data and software program, you can create a Sankey chart to bring your data to life and make it easier to understand.
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.