Streamlining Your Process with Sankey Charts: A Guide to Understanding and Creating Effective Visualizations

Sankey charts are a type of flow diagram that are used to represent the flow of materials, ideas, or information between different entities. They are particularly useful for visualizing the path of a process from start to finish, highlighting the steps and interactions between entities along the way. Sankey charts can be used to identify bottlenecks, improve efficiency, and make better decisions.

In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about Sankey charts, including how to create them, their applications, and how to use them to streamline your processes.

What is a Sankey Chart?

A Sankey chart is a type of flow diagram that is used to represent the flow of materials, ideas, or information between different entities. It was invented by Charles Sankey in the early 20th century and is named after him. The chart is made up of a set of interconnected nodes that represent the different entities in a process, and arrows that represent the flow of materials, information, or ideas between them.

Each node in the chart is labeled with the name of the entity it represents, and the direction of the arrow indicates the direction of the flow. The chart is useful for visualizing the path of a process and identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement.

How to Create a Sankey Chart

Creating a Sankey chart is relatively easy. All you need is a set of entities and a flow between them. Here are the steps to create a Sankey chart:

1. Start with a blank piece of paper or a spreadsheet.
2. Identify the different entities in your process and label each one with a name.
3. Determine the direction of the flow between the entities. This could be from left to right, or from lower to upper.
4. Draw arrows to represent the flow between the entities, and label each arrow with the direction of the flow.
5. Use Sankey chart software, such as ProcessOn, to create your chart or draw it by hand using a pen and paper.

Once you have created your Sankey chart, you can use it to analyze your process and identify areas for improvement. For example, you might use it to:

• Identify bottlenecks in your process, such as a step that takes up a large portion of the overall flow.
• Determine the efficiency of different steps in your process.
• Look for opportunities to streamline your process and improve efficiency.

Applications of Sankey Charts

There are many different applications for Sankey charts, including:

1. Process improvement: Sankey charts can be used to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement in a process. By visualizing the flow of materials, ideas, or information, you can see where the process is taking the longest, and make changes to improve efficiency.
2. Supply chain management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials or information through a supply chain. This can help identify potential bottlenecks, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
3. Product development: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of ideas or information through a product development process. This can help identify opportunities for collaboration and improve efficiency.
4. Financial management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of money or other financial resources through a process. This can help identify areas where resources are being wasted or overused, and make better decisions about resource allocation.

Conclusion

Sankey charts are a useful tool for visualizing the flow of materials, ideas, or information between different entities. By using them to create flow diagrams and visualizing the path of a process, you can identify areas for improvement and make better decisions. Whether you

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.