Sankey charts are a powerful and flexible way to visualize the flow of goods, services, or information through a process. They are named after William Edward Sankey, an American cartoonist and illustrator who created this type of chart in the early 20th century. Sankey charts are widely used in logistics, supply chain management, and project planning to identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and improve efficiency.

Properly creating and applying Sankey charts can greatly improve your organization’s flow and efficiency. In this article, we’ll go over the process of Sankey chart creation, examples of common applications, and how to best utilize Sankey charts to streamline your processes.

How to Create a Sankey Chart

A Sankey chart is essentially a flowchart that uses directed arrows to represent the movement of goods or services through a process. There are several software programs available for creating Sankey charts, including Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart, SmartDraw, and Creately, among others. In this example, we’ll be using Microsoft Visio to create a Sankey chart.

To get started, open Microsoft Visio and create a new document. Then, select the “Sankey chart” template from the “Insert” menu in the ribbon. Choose a suitable size for your chart, and then add nodes to represent the entry points and exit points of your process.

Next, add directed arrows between the nodes to represent the flow of goods or services through the process. You can customize the appearance of your arrows, such as changing the arrowhead or adding a label to the arrow.

Once your chart is complete, adjust it as necessary to fit your specific needs. Save your document, and you’re done!

Applications of Sankey Charts

Sankey charts can be used in a variety of applications to improve the efficiency and flow of goods, services, or information through a process. Here are just a few examples:

1. Supply Chain Management. Sankey charts can be used to visualize the movement of goods through a supply chain, highlighting bottlenecks and areas for improvement. This can help companies optimize their supply chain to reduce costs and improve delivery times.
2. Project Planning. Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of work through a project, highlighting dependencies and critical paths. This can help project managers adjust their plans to meet deadlines and ensure that resources are used efficiently.
3. Logistics. Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of goods through a distribution network, identifying areas for improvement and potential bottlenecks.

How to Streamline Your Process with Sankey Charts

Once you have created a Sankey chart, the next step is to use it to streamline your process. Here are some tips to help you do this:

1. Identify bottlenecks. Sankey charts can help you identify the bottlenecks in your process, where goods or services are held up or delayed. By addressing these bottlenecks, you can improve the flow of your process and increase efficiency.
2. Optimize processes. Sankey charts can also help you optimize your processes by highlighting inefficiencies and suggesting areas for improvement. For example, you might find that a certain step in your process is taking up more time than necessary, and decide to streamline it to improve overall efficiency.
3. Prioritize resources. Sankey charts can help you prioritize your resources, such as personnel or equipment, to ensure that they are used efficiently. You can use the chart to identify which resources are most critical to the success of your process.

In conclusion, Sankey charts are a powerful tool for visualizing the flow and efficiency of a process. By creating and utilizing them, you can identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and streamline your organization to improve efficiency and drive success.

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.