Sankey charts are a powerful data visualization tool that can be used to display the flow of goods, services, or ideas between different entities or stages. They are particularly useful when you want to show the relationships between different components of a complex system, or the flow of energy or information through a process.
Sankey charts are named after Charles Sankey, a British engineer and statistician who invented the chart in the late 19th century. He created the chart to represent the flow of coal through the system of pits and ships in the British coal industry.
The chart consists of a set of interconnected circles, with each circle representing an entity or stage in the flow. The size of the circle represents the amount of flow between the two entities, and the directions of the arrows between the circles show the flow of goods or information.
To create a Sankey chart, you can use a variety of tools, such as Excel, Tableau, or specialized software such as Sankey Pro or Sankey M. The basic steps for creating a Sankey chart are:
- Identify the entities or stages in your data and the flow of goods or information between them.
- Organize the data into a spreadsheet or data table, with the entities or stages in one column and the flow of goods or information in another column.
- Set the size of the circles to represent the amount of flow, and the directions of the arrows to represent the flow of goods or information.
- Customize the chart to add labels, annotations, or other visual elements to enhance the clarity of the chart.
Once you have created a Sankey chart, you can use it to gain insights into your data and identify potential areas for improvement or optimization. For example, you might use a Sankey chart to visualize the flow of goods through a supply chain, and identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies that could be addressed to improve the overall efficiency of the process.
Sankey charts can also be used to visualize the flow of ideas or information through a social network, or to understand the spread of a disease through a population. They are a versatile and powerful tool for exploring and understanding complex data sets.
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.
