Streamlining Your Flow: How Sankey Charts Visualize Network Dynamics
A Sankey chart is a type of flowchart that is used to illustrate the direction and magnitude of flow in a network. It is named after William Sankey, a statistician who developed the chart in the late 19th century. Sankey charts are particularly useful for visualizing the flow of resources or information through a network. In this article, we will discuss how to create a Sankey chart and some of its applications.
How to Create a Sankey Chart
To create a Sankey chart, you will need to follow these steps:
- Determine the source and destination of the flow.
- Choose a set of flow rates or volumes for the various streams.
- Draw a directed arrow from the source to each destination, with the length of the arrow proportional to the flow rate.
- Connect the arrows with curved links to show the flow paths between destinations.
- Label each element of the chart with appropriate descriptive text.
There are several software programs that you can use to create Sankey charts, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio, as well as dedicated Sankey charting software such as Sankey Professional. Some of these programs allow you to easily import data into the chart and adjust the chart’s layout, colors, and styles to suit your needs.
Applications of Sankey Charts
Sankey charts are a versatile tool that can be used in a wide range of applications, including:
- Network analysis: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of resources or information through a network, such as a supply chain, transportation network, or social network.
- Market research: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of goods or services between different regions or countries in a market.
- Financial analysis: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of funds between different accounts or sectors of an economy.
- Environmental analysis: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of pollutants or energy through a system.
- Organizational management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of tasks or responsibilities within an organization.
Overall, Sankey charts are a useful visualization tool for understanding the flow of resources or information through a network. They can be easily created using various software programs and are useful in a wide range of applications.
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.
