Title: Step by Step: Unravel the Data Story with Sankey Diagrams

Introduction

In our ever-evolving quest for data understanding, visualizations play a fundamental role in making the seemingly impenetrable, penetration possible for the layperson and professional alike. One of the most impactful visualizations is the Sankey diagram. These intricate charts act like narrative guides, offering a thorough, step-by-step exploration of a data’s story, relationships, and transformations. Through this article, we will delve into the essence of creating and applying Sankey diagrams to understand and communicate data effectively.

What are Sankey Diagrams?

Sankey diagrams, named after their creator, Matthew Sankey, are diagrammatic representations of flow between concepts. They display data relationships and data flows by showing arrows that intersect in nodes to represent the flow. Each arrow is proportional to the magnitude of a quantity, allowing viewers to visually measure its flow against others presented with arrows of the same size.

Step 1: Preparing your Data

The initial phase in any visualization process, and particularly for Sankey diagrams, is to organize and prepare the data. Sankey charts are most effective when there’s a clear sequence or flow in the data that you want to illustrate.

Create lists or organize your data into categories or processes. Each step in your process will become a node in your Sankey diagram. The magnitude of each step’s impact on the end result should be quantified and compiled.

Step 2: Create your Sankey diagram

Several tools and programming languages support creating Sankey diagrams, including Microsoft Excel, Google Charts, and Python libraries like Sankey and Plotly. For this example, we will illustrate the process using Python’s Sankey library.

“`python

Import libraries

import sankey as sk

Create Sankey object

s = sk.Sankey()

Define activities and add nodes

s.add(‘Activity 1’)
s.add(‘Activity 2’)
s.add(‘Activity 3’)

Connect the nodes with flows (Note the order of activities in this context is important)

s.connect(‘Activity 1’, ‘Activity 2’, 5)
s.connect(‘Activity 2’, ‘Activity 3’, 3)
s.connect(‘Activity 1’, ‘Activity 3’, 2)

Generate and display the diagram

s.finish()
“`

Step 3: Analyzing the Sankey diagram

With the Sankey chart created, you’re not just looking at data; you’re observing it. Each node represents a step in your data flow or process. The arrows connecting nodes symbolize the flow of data or the impact of one step on another. Analyzing the length of the arrows provides additional insights into the proportions of the various steps or flows.

Step 4: Communicating your Story

The final phase of utilizing Sankey diagrams for data storytelling is to interpret and present them effectively. With such an engaging and comprehensive visualization tool at your disposal, it’s easy to engage your audience by walking them through each step. The story of your data is built upon these stepping visuals, and it’s up to you to weave them into a coherent narrative.

Conclusion

Step by step, the Sankey diagram unravels the complex, convoluted world of data, presenting it in an easy-to-digest format that is both understandable and visually appealing. By preparing your data, creating the diagram, analyzing it closely, and communicating it brilliantly, you’re well on your way to becoming a master of data storytelling using Sankey diagrams.

So go ahead, explore the flow of your data, unveil its hidden stories, and share those insights effectively, one Sankey diagram at a time.

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.