Sankey charts, named after their inventor, Captain Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey (1830-1898), provide a visually stunning way to illustrate the flows and connections between different entities. Their unique ability to depict mass, quantity, and energy transformations makes them an indispensable tool for data visualization and analysis across a multitude of sectors.

Introduction to Sankey Charts

Sankey diagrams are flow diagrams that use arrows – or “bands” – to represent the movement of quantities (e.g., energy or material) between different points or nodes. Each arrow or band is sized according to the quantity it represents, clearly highlighting the magnitude of the flows at a glance.

Creation Process of Sankey Charts

Creating a Sankey diagram involves a few key steps:

1. Data Collection: Gather the data you want to visualize. This could be energy consumption across different sectors, material flow in a manufacturing process, or data flow in a network.

2. Determining Nodes: Identify the start and end points of the flows, as well as the intermediate nodes where flows are split or combined. These are your primary and secondary nodes.

3. Data Preparation: Prepare your data in a format that can be easily read by the visualization tool. This typically includes the following:

   • Source Nodes: The starting point of a flow.
   • Destination Nodes: The end point of a flow.
   • Flow Widths: The amount or quantity of flow between the nodes.

4. Using a Visualization Tool: Use software like Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, or specialized tools like SankeyJS, which offers a range of customization options to control variables such as band widths, angles, and appearance.

5. Design and Adjustment: Adjust the layout aesthetics such as colors, labels, and tooltips to enhance readability and make the data connections clear.

Applications of Sankey Charts

Sankey diagrams are used across various fields due to their ability to represent complex flow data in an intuitive and visually engaging manner:

1. Energy Efficiency and Sustainability: Architects and engineers use Sankey charts to analyze energy usage in buildings or across industrial processes, highlighting areas where energy can be conserved or optimized.

2. Supply Chain Management: In logistics and manufacturing, Sankey diagrams are invaluable for visualizing and optimizing the flow of goods and services from suppliers to consumers, and to identify potential bottlenecks or areas for improvement.

3. Network Analysis: Network engineers use these charts to understand data flow in complex systems, such as the internet, where the chart can show which websites attract the most data flow.

4. Environmental Science: Ecologists and environmental consultants use Sankey diagrams to illustrate the flow of water, nutrients, or pollutants through ecosystems, helping in conservation efforts and pollution management.

5. Healthcare: In medical systems, Sankey charts can depict the flow of patients through various stages of treatment, helping to improve patient pathways and resource allocation.

Conclusion

Sankey diagrams are a powerful tool for understanding and visualizing complex flow relationships. Their ability to depict not just connections between points but also the magnitude of those connections makes them indispensable in a variety of fields looking to enhance data understanding, facilitate decision-making, and create compelling presentations. Whether you’re a data analyst, an HVAC engineer, a marketing professional, or involved in any sector that deals with the management and flow of resources, Sankey charts offer unparalleled insights into the operational processes at any scale.

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.