Streamlining your process is essential for productivity and staying organized. One way to do this is by using Sankey charts, which are a type of flowchart that can help you visualize and understand the different steps in your workflow. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of creating a Sankey chart and show you how it can be applied to improve your productivity.
What are Sankey charts?
Sankey charts, also known as directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), are a type of flowchart that use arrows to represent the flow of materials or information from one process to another. Unlike traditional flowcharts, which use loops and boxes to represent steps, Sankey charts use directed arrows to show the direction of the flow.
Using Sankey charts has several benefits for productivity, including:
- It can help you identify bottlenecks in your workflow: By visualizing the flow of materials or information through your processes, you can easily identify areas where there are delays or bottlenecks. This can help you optimize your workflow and improve productivity.
- It can help you understand dependencies between processes: By showing the dependencies between different processes, you can better understand how they relate to each other and make better decisions about how to prioritize tasks.
- It can help you identify opportunities for improvement: By identifying areas where there are delays or inefficiencies in your workflow, you can identify opportunities for improvement and take steps to optimize them.
How to create a Sankey chart:
Creating a Sankey chart is relatively easy with most diagramming software like Lucidchart, Visio, SmartDraw etc. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to create a Sankey chart using Lucidchart:
- Sign up for an account and open Lucidchart.com on your web browser. You will be prompted to choose a template or start with a blank canvas if you prefer not to use one. Choose the “Sankey Diagram” template if available else search for it in templates tab and select it from the list available there. You may also customize it by choosing different colors and sizes as per your need before adding components into it .
- Drag an input shape onto the canvas where you want the starting point of your process to be placed . Then add arrows from input shape to output shapes that represent each step in your process . You may also add filters/conditions by right clicking on any shape like “Add filter”,“Add condition”, etc.. These filters/conditions will help us add logic behind our flow . And don’t forget that every arrow should have direction (outgoing) , color (arrow color), weight (arrow thickness) etc properties defined . Repeat this step few times until all steps are added . Once all steps are added , rearrange shapes as needed . The final step is adding labels , notes etc . Optional but helpful while explaining complex process or adding context . All these components together will form an effective Sankey chart that will describe our process visually ! Also remember that once all parts are ready then exporting as image format will be beneficial while sharing with people who doesn’t have access to lucidchart software too !
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.
