In the realm of data visualization, Sankey diagrams serve as powerful tools for depicting the flow of resources, materials, or information between processes or systems. Originating in the late 19th century to represent the energy efficiency of steamships and trains, Sankey diagrams have evolved into versatile visualizations that can illustrate a wide array of data, including but not limited to energy flow, water use, economic transactions, and more. This article delves into the creation of Sankey charts and explores their applications, particularly focusing on the transformation of water into coffee, a process that is both a practical and symbolic route to understanding and appreciating resource flows.

Understanding Sankey Charts

Sankey diagrams are a type of flow diagram that represents quantities in the flow through a set of connected nodes. Each branch in the diagram is labeled with the quantity. These flows are shown as lines whose width is proportional to the quantity. This design allows one easy visualization of the quantities of materials or energy flowing from one process to another.

The creation of a Sankey diagram involves several steps:

1. Data Collection: Gathering the data on different types of resources, materials, or energy flowing between various stages is crucial.
2. Visual Design Preparation: Organizing the data into a format that makes sense visually, ensuring that the flows are logical and the order of operations (or states) is clear.
3. Implementing Sankey Diagram: Software and tools like Microsoft Excel or specialized programs such as SankeyMATIC or the R package ggsankey can be used to create the diagram.
4. Testing and Refinement: Feedback from intended audience can refine the layout and color scheme for better comprehension and aesthetics.

From Water to Coffee: A Practical Application

To illustrate why Sankey diagrams are a valuable resource for understanding complex flows, consider the process of making coffee. The journey from water to coffee is a clear example of transformation and resource management. This journey can be visualized through a Sankey diagram:

1. Water Source: Initially, the water is found in a natural resource, likely clean but not drinkable by humans for other activities. The flow starts with the water’s source, indicating the initial volume and purity level.
2. Treatment and Purification: Next, the water undergoes various treatments to make it safe for consumption, including filtration, purification, and possibly boiling. The size of the lines represent the quantity lost during treatment and the gain in purity.
3. Supply Chain: After treatment, the water is transported to coffee shops or homes. The supply chain has additional losses, indicated by the width of the water flow into the final destination.
4. Coffee Production: Once at the cafe or household, the water then changes function as it is used in the brewing process. The transformation of water into coffee involves additional inputs such as coffee beans, sugars, and sometimes milk or creamers, which can also be visualized.
5. Consumption: Lastly, the coffee is consumed, and the water once again undergoes transformation into waste, which eventually goes back into the natural environment, signaling a closed cycle.

Applications Beyond Coffee

Sankey diagrams are particularly useful for visualizing data in various sectors:

• Energy Flow: They can show the energy use within a building, highlighting where energy is lost in the heating, cooling, and lighting systems.
• Sustainability and Environmental Research: In environmental science, they can illustrate the impacts of resource use, helping companies and governments understand and optimize their product or policy impacts.
• Economic Systems: Sankey diagrams can depict the flow of capital between businesses and between different economic sectors, providing insights into economic efficiency and productivity.

Conclusion

Sankey diagrams offer a unique way to visualize and understand complex systems involving the flow of resources or information. By illustrating how resources are transformed and the resulting flows across different stages, these diagrams can help individuals and organizations gain insights into processes, analyze performance, and make informed decisions. As our world increasingly demands sustainable management of resources, the role of visual representations like Sankey diagrams will continue to grow in importance.

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.