In today’s data-driven world, where businesses rely heavily on visual data for decision making, Sankey charts offer a unique approach to visualizing complex data flow graphs. Sankey chart visualization techniques like flow diagrams can clarify complex business data, such as supply chains, production lines, or information flow between departments, departments, and individuals.
A comprehensive guide to understanding flow diagrams and their applications in data visualization can be a good starting point for businesses that want to create efficient and effective visual representations of business data. In this article, we’ll delve into the key aspects of creating and interpreting a sankey chart, as well as how to apply it in practice.
Creating a Sankey Chart
A Sankey Chart is a type of flow diagram that visualizes the flow of data within a network or system. It’s often used to visualize the flow of resources such as materials, information, energy and information between two or more nodes or nodes within a network. In a sankey chart, the nodes on the diagram represent the nodes within the network, and the arrows connecting the nodes depict the direction and quantity of data flow.
In the case of a flow chart, the diagrams are represented as links between pairs of nodes, and each link carries a value that can be used to quantify the magnitude of the flow between the two nodes. For example, in the below image, we have a flow from material A to material B, and the value carried by the link is 10 units of material A.
There are several steps involved in creating a Sankey chart, and these can be broken down as follows:
Step 1: Determine the Data for Your Sankey Chart
In the above example, we know the data for this scenario, namely that materials A and B are being transported between these nodes. These materials can be assigned numerical values, such as 1 for one material, or they can be represented in other ways, such as using colors or symbols.
Step 2: Prepare the Data for Your Chart
Once you have identified all necessary data for your Sankey chart, you will be able to proceed with the next step of plotting the data. In this example, we can plot the data using a graphing tool or by using software like Tableau or Microsoft Excel.
Step 3: Design & Layout of the Sankey Chart
Sankey charts can have a variety of styles, and what sets them apart is their visual layout. The layout of the chart should be simple and easy to read, especially when presenting the data to different stakeholders.
Step 4: Choose to Create Textual or Visual Elements to Represent Data In Your Sankey Chart
The text elements of the sankey charts can include the following types:
– Node/Link Labels: Labels showing the numerical value of the data.
– Text Position: Text can be placed next to the nodes or links for easy reference.
– Title: The title is typically placed above the chart, providing an overview of the data and its purpose.
– Axis Labels: Axis labels indicate the data type, such as number or value. These labels should be clearly and legibly visible.
Applying sankey charts in practice
Sankey charts are an efficient way to visualize data flows in a network or system. They can also be used to communicate complex ideas in a visual and concise manner, and can help improve decision making processes.
In practice, sankey charts can be applied to various types of business data. For instance, in a business supply chain, the sankey chart can represent the flow of material between different companies. In the manufacturing sector, a sankey chart can represent the flow of raw materials, components, and finished products through the manufacturing process.
With the increasing importance of data visualization and its potential to improve business operations, the use of sankey charts is rapidly increasing. As with all data visualization methods, the first step to leveraging sankey charts is to choose an appropriate platform to visualize data, such as Tableau, Power BI, or Microsoft Excel.
Sankey charts can be created from various kinds of data. For example, you can create a stream flow chart using data about various types of water sources, drainage systems, etc. or create another type of flow chart called energy flow diagrams by plotting data about energy source destinations, energy sources, etc.
In conclusion, sankey charts offer a unique approach to visualizing complex data flows in a network or system such as supply chains, manufacturing, energy flow, etc. in order to better understand and visualize the connections, information and data. Sankey charts can be used to communicate complex business data in a visually appealing and concise way and can aid in decision making processes. Therefore, it is essential to understand and embrace the power of sankey charts in your data visualization efforts.
Sankey charts can be used to illustrate and explore a wide range of business problems, such as the flow of goods in a supply chain, or the movement of data through an organization. As technology advances, so does the possibility of visualizing these data flows with greater precision and detail, thus making sankey charts an essential tool in the modern business world.
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