What is a Sankey chart?
A Sankey chart is a type of graph that visualizes complex data flow. It is used to represent the relationship between two variables, often between resources and expenses. It is named after the English mathematician and inventor James Sankey, who made the first attempts at illustrating these flows.
How Sankey charts work?
A Sankey chart consists of two main elements: a horizontal axis, or flow direction, and a vertical axis, or flow intensity. The flow intensity represents the scale of the flow, measured in units like flow rate, cost or energy unit. It shows the amount of resources being used, consumed or expended, depending on the direction of the arrows. The flow direction shows the direction of flow, where resources are used before or spent.
Creating a Sankey chart is easy when using a software tool such as Maple, GeoGebra, or Microsoft Power BI. They have pre-made templates for Sankey charts, which can help you to save time and energy in creating one. To create your Sankey chart, you will need to:
- Choose which variable to visualize the flow between, such as resources or expenses.
- Determine the flow direction, which could be either increasing or decreasing.
- Draw the flow direction line from the origin (zero, usually) of the axis to the target (goal) in the chart.
- Determine the flow intensity, which represents the scale of the flow and will affect the graph’s appearance and readability. Adjust the flow intensity scale on each axis to achieve the desired flow.
- Draw the arrow from the origin axis to the target axis, which visualizes the flow of resources. The arrow head indicates the flow direction.
Applications of Sankey charts
Sankey charts have various applications in different fields, ranging from business and economics to social sciences and environmental science. Here are some examples of how Sankey charts can be used:
- Resource flow analysis: Sankey charts can be used to analyze resource flow in different departments or organizations. This can help managers to better understand how resources are used and consumed and inform them of opportunities for cost savings or resource productivity.
- Energy flow analysis: Sankey charts are frequently used in the field of energy analysis, which involves studying the movement of energy through various systems. They can help managers to identify inefficiencies in energy use and opportunities for energy-saving improvements.
- Water flow analysis: Sankey charts are essential in understanding water flow systems, including rivers and water bodies. Managers can use Sankey charts to identify the main areas of water flow, including the source, path, and destination.
- Supply chain management: Sankey charts can help managers to visualize the supply chain, which involves the movement of resources from origins to destinations. Using Sankey charts, managers can identify bottlenecks in the supply chain, which can affect the company’s performance.
Conclusion
Sankey charts excel in visually representing data flow between two variables, which can help managers to better understand complex relationships in different fields. With the right design and tooling, Sankey charts can be very helpful in analyzing complicated data flow patterns. They are an essential tool in analyzing complex data flow, offering insights that may be difficult to obtain otherwise. So, it’s important to learn how to use Sankey charts to their full potential and apply them in your specific field of work.
In conclusion, the Sankey chart is a powerful and versatile tool that can provide valuable insight into complex data flow. It’s important to understand the use of this tool and the ways it can be applied in different fields of work to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying data flow. By using a Sankey chart, managers can effectively analyze and visualize complex data flow patterns, ultimately leading to better decision-making in various fields.
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