The Sankey chart is a powerful tool for visualizing the flow of information or fluid between different sources and destinations in a network. These charts are used in various fields such as engineering, social sciences, and engineering to represent the flow of materials, energy, information, or waste. Here’s everything you need to know about creating and using Sankey charts:

What is a Sankey Diagram?
A Sankey diagram is a line graph with four types of arrows indicating the flow of information or fluids in a network from one source to one or more destinations. The four types of arrows represent the flow of information or fluids flowing from source to destination, the type of transfer involved, and the direction of the flow. The chart also indicates the volume of the fluid, if any.

Types of arrows:
1. Flow arrows: indicate the flow of information or fluids from one source to one or more destinations.
2. Input arrows: indicate the input of the fluid from one resource or entity.
3. Transfer arrows: indicate the transfer of the fluid between sources and destinations.
4. Output arrows: indicate the output of the fluid to one or more destinations.

Why Use a Sankey Diagram?
A Sankey chart is useful to represent the flow of information or fluids in a network. The graph allows you to clearly see the direction and volume of the flow of information or fluids, which helps you analyze the network and make informed decisions. You can use it to investigate the flow of information or fluids between various sources and destinations, compare different networks, and identify trends and patterns.

How to create a Sankey Chart
Creating a Sankey chart is straightforward but requires some understanding of the flow relationships in the network. Here’s a simple guide on how to create a Sankey chart:

1. Identify your network: Start by identifying the sources, destinations, and types of flows in your network.
2. Create the diagram: Use graph software to create a graph that shows the flow connections between the sources, destinations, and types of flow. The arrows should look like arrows in a bar chart.
3. Assign a value to each flow: Assign a value to each arrow that represents the volume of the flow. You can use a scale to make your values easier to read.
4. Use the diagram: To visualize the flow in the network, you can use the diagram to show the total volume of the fluid moving from a source to a destination in the network.

Applications of a Sankey Chart
Sankey charts are useful for visualizing the flow of information or fluids in a network, such as:

1. Engineering and manufacturing: Sankey diagrams can help engineers understand the flow of products in supply chains, and manufacturing plants can use them to visualize the flow of materials and energy in the production process.
2. Social sciences: In sociology, economists, and political science, Sankey diagrams can help visualize the flow of information in social networks, such as friendship networks or online communication networks.
3. Economics: In economics, we use Sankey charts to calculate the profitability of different investments or to analyze supply and demand in markets.
4. Environmental science: In environmental science, Sankey diagrams can help visualize the flow of pollutants or waste in ecosystems.

Conclusion
Sankey charts are a powerful tool for visualizing the flow of information or fluids in a network. They are useful for engineers, social scientists, economists, and environmental scientists to understand the flow of materials, energy, information, or waste in a network. By creating and analyzing Sankey charts, you can gain a better understanding of the flow of fluids in the network, which can lead to better decision making, resource allocation, and sustainability.

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.