Sankey Charts are a powerful tool for visualizing the flow of materials, information, or resources in a process. They are particularly useful for analyzing and optimizing complex systems, and can help you identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of Sankey Chart creation and some of the ways in which they can be used to enhance process analysis and visualization.

What are Sankey Charts?

Sankey Charts are a type of flowchart that use triangles to represent the flow of materials, information, or resources in a process. The triangles are connected by arrows that represent the transfer of materials, people, or other resources between different steps in the process. Sankey Charts are particularly useful for visualizing the flow of materials, as they can easily show how materials move between different stages of a process.

How to create a Sankey Chart

Creating a Sankey Chart is relatively easy using a specialized software tool such as Visio, Gliffy, Lucidchart, SmartDraw, or Creately. These software tools provide a pre-set library of Sankey Chart templates that can be customized to suit your specific needs. Alternatively, you can create a Sankey Chart from scratch using a set of standard diagram elements such as shapes, lines, and text.

To create a Sankey Chart, follow these steps:

1. Start by opening the software tool of your choice and creating a new diagram.
2. Use the shape library to add triangles and arrows to the diagram to represent the different steps in the process.
3. Use text to add labels to the triangles and arrows to provide additional information, such as the name of the step or the transfer of materials.
4. Customize the appearance of the chart by changing the colors, fonts, and other visual elements.

Applications of Sankey Charts

Sankey Charts are particularly useful for process analysis and visualization, especially in the following scenarios:

1. Material Flow Analysis: Sankey Charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials in a process, including the transfer of materials between different steps. This can help identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in the material handling process.
2. Information Flow Analysis: Sankey Charts can be used to visualize the flow of information in a process, including the transfer of information between different steps. This can help identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in the information handling process.
3. Resource Flow Analysis: Sankey Charts can be used to visualize the flow of resources in a process, including the transfer of resources between different steps. This can help identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in the resource management process.
4. Supply Chain Optimization: Sankey Charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials, information, and resources in a supply chain, including the transfer of materials, information, and resources between different suppliers and customers. This can help identify opportunities for improvement in the supply chain, including reducing lead times, improving efficiency, and reducing waste.

Conclusion

Sankey Charts are a powerful tool for visualizing the flow of materials, information, or resources in a process. They are particularly useful for analyzing and optimizing complex systems, and can help you identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a Sankey Chart to enhance process analysis and visualization in your organization.

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.