Sankey charts are a powerful data visualization tool that can help you see the flow of data in your organization and identify opportunities for improvement. They are particularly useful for understanding and visualizing the various interdependencies and processes that take place within an organization, such as supply chains, financial transactions, or information flows. In this article, we’ll explore how to create Sankey charts using popular data visualization tools, the various applications of Sankey charts, and how they can help you make better decisions.
Creating Sankey Charts
Sankey charts are designed to show the flow of inputs into a process and the resulting outputs. They are often used to visualize supply chain processes, financial transactions, or other data sets that involve intermediate steps and dependencies. To create a Sankey chart, you will need to have access to a data visualization tool that supports this type of chart, such as Tableau, PowerBI, or D3.js.
Once you have access to a data visualization tool, you can import your data into the tool and create your Sankey chart. The process typically involves selecting the data you want to visualize, defining the input and output nodes for your chart, and then configuring the chart’s appearance and formatting.
Applications of Sankey Charts
Sankey charts have a wide range of applications across various industries. Here are some examples:
- Supply Chain Management: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of materials, work orders, and other data relevant to supply chain management. They can help you track inventory levels, identify bottlenecks, and optimize supply chain processes.
- Financial Analysis: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of financial data, such as income statements, balance sheets, or cash flow statements. They can help you identify trends, track cash flow, and evaluate investment opportunities.
- Customer Support: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of customer support data, such as support tickets, help desk interactions, and customer churn. They can help you identify patterns and trends, prioritize support resources, and improve customer satisfaction.
- Healthcare: Sankey charts can be used to visualize the flow of medical data, such as patient visits, diagnostic tests, and medication administration. They can help you identify areas for improvement, optimize resources, and improve patient outcomes.
How Sankey Charts can Help You Make Better Decisions
Sankey charts are particularly useful for identifying opportunities for improvement and making better decisions. Here are a few examples:
- Supply Chain Optimization: Sankey charts can help you identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in your supply chain, allowing you to make necessary changes to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
- Financial Analysis: Sankey charts can help you identify trends and patterns in your financial data, allowing you to make informed decisions about investments, expenses, and budgets.
- Customer Support: Sankey charts can help you identify areas where customer support can be improved, such as reducing response times, improving knowledge base accuracy, or enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Healthcare Improvements: Sankey charts can help you identify opportunities to improve patient outcomes, such as reducing readmissions, improving diagnostic accuracy, or enhancing medication adherence.
Conclusion
Sankey charts are a powerful data visualization tool that can help you see the flow of data in your organization and identify opportunities for improvement. They are particularly useful for understanding and visualizing the various interdependencies and processes that take place within an organization. By learning how to create and use Sankey charts, you can gain deeper insights into your data and make better decisions.
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.