Flow Visual Magic: The Charms of Sankey Charts

In our increasingly interconnected and data-driven world, the challenge of effectively communicating complex flows and processes has never been more pressing. Enter the Sankey chart, an elegantly efficient infographic tool that, as elegant as it is succinct, offers an unparalleled means of illustrating the flow of energy, materials, costs, and investments through a system. Sankey charts may seem esoteric, but their value and versatility have made them a go-to for a wide array of industries and analysis fields. Let’s delve into the creation and applications of Sankey charts to uncover the flow visual magic they hold.

The Art of Sankey Chart Creation

Principles of Design

Sankey charts are fundamentally bar charts in which flows are represented as two-dimensional vectors with an arrow indicating the route and direction of flow. Their design is guided by several critical principles:

• Width Proportional to Flow: The width of each vector (and thereby the amount of space it occupies on the chart) is proportional to the quantity of ‘material’ or ‘energy’ flowing through it.
• Flow Consistency: The thickness of each arrow should remain the same throughout its length, indicating a constant flow rate.
• Start and End Points: Sources have a single input arrow with no arrow head, and drains have a single output arrow with no arrow tail.

Steps to Create a Sankey Chart

Creating a Sankey chart is a detailed process:

1. Define the Process: Understand the processes you want to illustrate and identify the inputs, outputs, and transformation points that link them.
2. Collect Data: Gather accurate data on the flows, including size, direction, and source/destination.
3. Determine Scale: Align your chart’s scales such that the width of vectors accurately represents the magnitude of the flowing item.
4. Sketch the Blueprint: Start to arrange the nodes and streams that represent your process, ensuring that the thickness of the vectors reflects the volume of flow.
5. Finalize and Refine: Iterate on the shape and scale, until the flow paths accurately and visually communicate the data.

Software Tools for Sankey Charts

In the absence of specialized software, creating a Sankey chart by hand is a challenging task. However, there are numerous software tools that allow for easier Sankey chart creation:

• Sankey Flow Diagram: An online tool designed explicitly for Sankey diagrams, making manual adjustments easy.
• Microsoft Excel: While not optimally designed for Sankey charts, it is possible to create basic charts using conditional formatting and the SUMIFS function to simulate Sankey features.
• Tableau and Qlik: Advanced data visualization software that supports Sankey charts and provides a host of custom functions to refine the visual effect.

The Applications of Sankey Charts

Energy Management

Sankey charts are particularly useful for illustrating the energy efficiency of a system. They enable quick insights into where energy is wasted due to inefficiencies, highlighting areas for potential improvements.

Environmental Impact Analysis

Environmental engineers use Sankey charts to illustrate the inputs and outputs of systems, helping to evaluate the environmental footprint of processes.

Cost Analysis

In financial analyses, Sankey charts can show the flow of money through an organization, revealing where budgets are being spent and how returns on investments are generated.

Supply Chain Management

In logistics and supply chain, Sankey diagrams are useful for showing the flow of goods and information, helping to identify bottlenecks and streamline workflows.

Biology and Chemistry

The study of biological processes in cells or reaction pathways in chemical reactions can benefit from Sankey charts when illustrating the flow of compounds.

Computer Performance

IT professionals use Sankey charts to visualize the flow of information and energy within computer systems, such as CPU utilization and memory traffic.

Education

Teachers and students in various fields can utilize Sankey charts to explain systems and processes in a way that visual aids can never replace.

Flow Visual Magic: The Conclusion

In today’s data-rich world, the ability to create and interpret Sankey charts is a valuable skill. These versatile tools bring complexity into clarity through their elegant flow visual magic. Whether you’re analyzing the flow of energy in industrial settings or the flow of capital in a business context, or even visualizing the flow of genetic information within a cell, Sankey charts provide an accessible and insightful means of communication. Embrace the flow visual magic of Sankey charts to convey the essence of complex processes and unlock new perspectives for making efficient and informed decisions.

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.