Streamlining Your Process: How Sankey Charts Visualize Flow and Efficiency

If you’re like most people, you’re always looking for ways to improve your workflow and make your tasks more efficient. But sometimes, it can be hard to see the big picture and identify the areas where you can streamline your process. That’s where Sankey charts come in.

Sankey charts are a type of flowchart that use circles and arrows to represent the different steps in a process and the flow of materials or information between those steps. They’re a powerful tool for visualizing and improving the efficiency of your processes.

In this article, we’ll explain what Sankey charts are and how they can be used to streamline your process. We’ll also walk through the steps of creating a Sankey chart and give some examples of how they can be used in different industries.

What are Sankey Charts?

Sankey charts are a type of flowchart that use circles and arrows to represent the different steps in a process and the flow of materials or information between those steps. The name “Sankey” comes from the Dutch consulting engineer named Henk Sankey, who developed the charts in the early 20th century.

Sankey charts are different from other flowcharting tools in that they focus on the flow of materials or information, rather than just the steps in a process. This makes them particularly useful for identifying and optimizing bottlenecks and inefficiencies in your processes.

In addition to being a useful tool for process improvement, Sankey charts are also a valuable tool for project management and controlling inventory. They provide a clear and concise visual overview of your processes and can help you identify areas where you can make improvements to increase efficiency and productivity.

How to Create a Sankey Chart

Creating a Sankey chart is relatively simple, and there are several tools available that can help you create them. Some popular tools for creating Sankey charts include:

• Visio
• Lucidchart
• SmartDraw
• Draw.io

To create a Sankey chart, follow these steps:

1. Choose a template: Most tools allow you to choose from a variety of templates to get you started with your Sankey chart. These templates typically include pre-made Sankey charts that you can customize to fit your needs.
2. Add your steps: Once you have your template open, you can start adding your steps to the chart. Each step should be represented by a circle, and each step should be connected to the previous step by an arrow.
3. Add your materials: If you’re using a Sankey chart to represent the flow of materials or information, you’ll need to add those to the chart as well. This can be done by adding lines from the source material to the destination step.
4. Customize colors and labels: Once your chart is complete, you can customize the colors and labels to make it more visually appealing and easier to read.

Examples of Sankey Chart Applications

Sankey charts are a versatile tool that can be used in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and finance. Here are a few examples of how they are used in different industries:

• Manufacturing: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials through a manufacturing process, including raw materials, components, and finished products. By identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies, manufacturers can make improvements to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
• Healthcare: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of patients through a healthcare system, from initial consultation to treatment to follow-up care. This can help identify areas where processes can be optimized and improve patient outcomes.
• Finance: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of money through a financial transaction, from initial deposit to disbursement. This can help identify and address any inefficiencies

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