Streamlining Your Ideas with Sankey Charts: A Visualization Guide

Sankey charts, also known as flowcharts, are an effective way to visualize the flow of energy, resources, or information between different entities. With their intuitive and easy-to-understand visual representation, Sankey charts are an ideal tool for organizations and individuals looking to gain insights, identify bottlenecks, and improve processes. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of Sankey chart creation, as well as some practical applications for business and personal use.

What are Sankey Charts?

Sankey charts are a type of flowchart that usearrows to represent the direction of a flow. The chart is named after Rudolph Sankey, an English statistician and actuary who developed the method in the late 19th century. Sankey charts have been widely used since then in fields such as energy, finance, and transportation to visualize complex networks and identify opportunities for improvement.

Sankey chart creation steps:

Creating a Sankey chart is a straightforward process that can be completed using a variety of tools such as Microsoft Excel, Lucidchart, or even draw.io. Here are the general steps to create a Sankey chart:

1. Start by creating an empty document in your chosen tool.
2. Choose the flowchart type as Sankey chart.
3. Add your data to the document in the form of nodes and arrows.
4. Customize the chart by adjusting colors, shapes, and sizes.
5. Save and export the chart as a .png or .jpg file.

Key components of a Sankey chart:

A Sankey chart typically consists of several key components, including:

• Nodes: Represent the entities or areas in the flow.
• Arrows: Represent the flow of energy, resources, or information between the nodes.
• Links: Represent the connections between the nodes.
• Colors and shapes: Used to differentiate between different entities, improve visibility, and highlight bottlenecks.

Applications of Sankey charts:

Sankey charts can be used in a variety of industries and situations to streamline processes and identify opportunities for improvement. Some of the key applications include:

1. Energy efficiency: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of energy between different sources, such as fossil fuels, renewable energy, and waste. This can help identify areas where energy can be saved or shifted to more sustainable sources.
2. Financial management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of funds between different departments or entities within an organization. This can help identify areas where resources can be optimized or allocated more effectively.
3. Supply chain management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of goods and services between different entities, such as suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers. This can help identify areas where bottlenecks or inefficiencies exist, and optimize processes to improve overall efficiency.
4. Personal productivity: Sankey charts can also be used to visualize the flow of tasks and actions between different projects or areas of life. This can help identify areas where tasks are duplicated or undertook, and optimize processes to improve overall productivity.

In conclusion, Sankey charts are an effective way to visualize the flow of energy, resources, or information between different entities. With their intuitive and easy-to-understand visual representation, Sankey charts are an ideal tool for organizations and individuals looking to gain insights, identify bottlenecks, and improve processes. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily create and customize your own Sankey charts to suit your specific needs.

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.