Building Your Sankey Diagram
Drawing a Sankey diagram requires an understanding of relationships between different data entities. This article will walk through the steps of creating a Sankey diagram using popular data visualization tools like Tableau and PowerBI. We’ll also point out the key factors in configuring flows and nodes that enhance the effectiveness of these diagrams.
1. Data Preparation:
To start, you’ll need a dataset containing a start node (source), end node (destination), and the quantity or value of flow (the flow itself) between the two nodes. Your data should be structured in a long format where each row represents a single flow from a source to a destination, with fields like ‘Source’, ‘Destination’, and ‘Flow’.
2. Choose Visualization Tool:
Select the tool you prefer for creation. Both Tableau and PowerBI have robust features for data visualization, including Sankey diagrams.
Tableau, for instance, allows for quick creation of visualizations by dragging and dropping fields into a diagram. You’ll first need to connect to your data source (such as a .csv file, Excel, or a database connection). Once connected, choose the ‘Sankey’ option from the visualization toolbar to create a basic diagram.
PowerBI follows a similar approach. After importing your data, you need to create a new PowerBI report and choose ‘Sankey’ from the visualization pane to generate your chart.
3. Data Configuration:
To configure your Sankey diagram effectively:
– **Source and Destination**: Assign your source and destination fields to the appropriate nodes on your diagram. These will be the data points with the start and end flows, respectively.
– **Width of Flows**: Typically, the width of each line is proportional to the volume or magnitude of the data it represents. This helps in visually gauging the relationship importance between two points.
– **Sorting**: Decide if you want to sort your flows based on criteria like the flow magnitude, direction, or any other variable that makes sense in the context of your dataset.
4. Enhancing the Diagram:
To make your Sankey diagram more visually appealing and information-rich:
– **Node Labels**: Choose a unique color for each node and label them appropriately so that viewers can easily identify entities.
– **Line Styling**: Customize colors, widths, and even the animation effects for each flow line to make the chart more engaging.
– **Layout**: Adjust the positioning of nodes and lines to ensure that your diagram is not overcrowded and easily readable. PowerBI and Tableau both provide layout options and auto-spacing facilities to help you achieve a balanced depiction.
5. Review and Refine:
When you create a basic Sankey diagram, you’ll want to ensure that it’s not only visually appealing but also understandable. Check for consistent color coding, clear labeling, and a properly scaled layout. The diagram should effectively convey the relationships and flows present in your data.
By following these step-by-step guidelines, you can build a Sankey diagram that not only demonstrates your data’s complex relationships and flows, but also does so in a visually appealing, understandable manner. Whether you’re applying your skills in business analytics, academic research, or any other field utilizing Sankey diagrams – these principles will serve to enhance both the readability and the impact of your visualizations.
