Sankey charts are a powerful way to visualize the flow of data, whether it’s the movement of resources, energy, or people between different sources and destinations. They were named after publishing engineer John Tukey, who developed them in the 20th century. However, modern software such as Tableau, Power BI, or even Excel can easily create Sankey diagrams to better understand and communicate the data patterns in complex systems.
What is a Sankey Chart?
A Sankey diagram is a type of flow diagram in which the width of the arrows and pipes is proportional to the value they represent. This makes it an effective tool for visualizing the distribution, flow, and movement of various entities, like resources or energy, between different nodes. They are particularly useful in fields like environmental science, economics, and business analytics.
Creating a Sankey Chart
To create a Sankey chart, follow these basic steps, regardless of the software you’re using:
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Identify Components: Determine your sources, destinations, and the flows between them. Each flow should have a defined start (source), end (destination), and the amount (value) it represents.
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Choose the Right Tool:
- Tableau: Has robust templates and customizations for Sankey diagrams.
- Power BI: Offers flexible options for creating and customizing Sankey charts.
- Excel: Provides formulas and shapes to manually create a basic Sankey flow diagram.
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Input Data:
- Ensure your data is structured properly. Each row might represent a flow, with columns for source, destination, and the quantity of the flow.
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Design Your Chart:
- In Tableau, you can simply drag the source, destination, and value fields into the appropriate Sankey chart visualization pane. Apply filters, colors, and labels for clear distinction.
- In Power BI, utilize the Sankey visualization feature by selecting the table you want to visualize and then choosing Sankey from the visualization pane.
- In Excel, manually arrange lines and text boxes, using formulas to calculate values and ensure the widths of the lines represent the data proportionally.
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Customize and Enhance:
- Add colors, labels, legends to improve readability and provide context.
- Use different sizes or styles of arrows to highlight key flows.
Applications of Sankey Charts
Sankey charts are used across various industries and fields:
- Energy Sector: To show energy flow, such as power generation, distribution, and consumption.
- Economics: To depict the flow of money, trade, or resource movement between countries or sectors within an economy.
- Environmental Science: To illustrate the flow of greenhouse gases, recycling, and waste disposal pathways.
- Healthcare: To track patient flow, resource usage, or treatment progression through different stages.
- Supply Chain Management: To analyze the flow of goods, inventory movement, or logistical pathways.
Benefits of Using Sankey Charts
- Visualization of Complex Flows: Sankey charts simplify the visualization of complex systems, making it easier to understand where resources start, end, and are transformed or lost.
- Enhancing Decision-Making: By highlighting major flows and patterns, they assist in making informed decisions in resource allocation, cost management, or process improvements.
- Communication: They are effective in communicating the flow patterns to stakeholders, helping in aligning strategic goals and improving transparency.
Conclusion
Incorporating Sankey charts into your data analysis toolkit can significantly enhance your understanding of data flow and patterns in various contexts. Whether you’re an analyst, a scientist, or an entrepreneur, mastering the creation and application of Sankey charts can provide valuable insights and facilitate better decision-making processes. As you create Sankey diagrams, remember that the design and choice of data can greatly influence their effectiveness in conveying the intended story.
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