Unleashing the Power of Sankey Charts: Visualizing Data Flow and Circulation

Data visualization is a powerful tool for understanding complex systems and patterns. Among the many types of charts and diagrams available, Sankey charts are often overlooked but have a unique ability to showcase the flow and circulation of data. In this article, we will explore the basics of Sankey chart creation and provide examples of their use in different fields.

Sankey chart overview

A Sankey chart, also known as a Funnel chart, is a type of flowchart that uses symbols to represent the transfer of material or data between different nodes or regions. The chart features a set of curved arrows that represent the flow of data between nodes, with the length of the arrows indicating the amount of data passing through each region.

The chart is named after Arthur Sankey, a British inventor who patented the method of using symbols to represent the flow of materials in 1912. Since then, the chart has been widely used for visualizing data flow and circulation in various industries.

Sankey chart creation

Sankey charts can be created using a variety of tools, such as Excel, Visio, or specialized data visualization software such as D3.js. To create a Sankey chart, you will need to define the nodes and regions of your data and specify the flow of data between them.

Here are the steps for creating a Sankey chart in Excel:

1. Enter your data into a table with columns for the source, destination, and amount of data flow.
2. Use the Insert Table function to create a table in your chart.
3. Select the cells in your table and use the Format Painter tool to apply a gray fill to each cell.
4. Use the Format Painter tool again to apply a larger fill to the destination cells.
5. Insert arrows between the source and destination cells, using the Format Painter tool to adjust the length of the arrows to represent the amount of data flow.
6. Customize the chart appearance by adjusting the colors, fonts, and formats of the chart elements.

Use cases

Sankey charts can be used in a wide range of industries to visualize data flow and circulation. Here are some examples of their use:

1. Marketing and advertising: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of leads, sales, or marketing spend between different channels or regions.
2. Supply chain management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials or products through different stages of production or distribution.
3. Financial analysis: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of cash flow between accounts or transactions.
4. Social media analytics: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of engagement or conversation between different social media channels or platforms.
5. Environmental monitoring: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of pollutants or substances through different stages of a production or waste management system.

Conclusion

Sankey charts are a powerful data visualization tool that can help you better understand complex data flows and patterns. By using the guidelines provided in this article to create customized Sankey charts, you can gain valuable insights into your data and make better-informed decisions. Whether you are a marketer, supply chain manager, financial analyst, or environmental scientist, Sankey charts can help you better understand and analyze data to improve business processes and decision-making.

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.