Sankey charts are a powerful data visualization tool used to illustrate flows and connections between different entities. These charts are named after Scottish engineer and physicist, William Sankey, who developed them in the late 19th century for representing the energy changes in steam engines.

How to Create a Sankey Chart

Creating a Sankey chart involves a few key steps:

1. Define Entities and Flows: Identify the sources, destinations, and the quantities or qualities flowing between them.
2. Organize Data: Prepare your data in a suitable format, typically requiring columns for source, target, and the flow volume (width).
3. Select Software: Choose from a variety of tools that support Sankey chart creation. Options range from free online platforms (such as Sankeyly, SankeyCharts.com) to more robust software (like Tableau, PowerBI, and Python libraries like Plotly or graph-tool).

Example Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Define Entities and Flows
For example, consider visualizing material flow in a manufacturing process. Entities might include different stages like “Raw Material,” “Machining,” “Assembly,” and “Packaging.”

Step 2: Organize Data
Enter this information into a structured data format, including the source, target, and volume (flow) details for each connection.

Step 3: Select and Utilize Software
Use software or tool of choice to input the data and create the chart. Ensure you adjust color codes, labels, and other design elements to enhance readability and insight.

Applications of Sankey Charts: Visualizing Flows and Connections

1. Resource Flow Analysis

• Renewable Energy: Illustrating the movement of energy in a power grid, showing how energy is distributed from various sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.
• Water Management: Demonstrating water flow from sources like rivers and lakes to distribution systems, helping in efficient water resource allocation.

2. Economic Analysis

• Trade Networks: Showing the flow of goods between countries and sectors within a country, aiding in understanding global trade dynamics.
• Industry Supply-Chains: Mapping the supply flows between different elements of a multi-step production process to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for optimization.

3. Social Dynamics

• Network Analysis: Representing the flow of information, influence, or financial transactions within and between social entities. This could be seen in blog link networks, credit relationships, or knowledge flow in academic fields.

4. Environmental Studies

• Carbon Footprint Analysis: Tracking greenhouse gas emissions from different activities like manufacturing, transportation, or energy consumption.
• Biochemical Pathways: Demonstrating the flow of molecules in biological systems like metabolic pathways or in the recycling loop of resources.

Sankey charts have the potential to make complex flows and connections easily comprehensible, thereby enhancing decision-making and insights across various fields. Their ability to visually represent a large volume of data with a clear hierarchy and intuitive representation of magnitude makes them a valuable addition to any data visualization toolbox. Whether you’re focusing on the intricacies of a manufacturing process, the intricacies of an ecosystem, or simply seeking to understand the dynamics of a large-scale network, Sankey charts can offer a powerful tool for gaining new, insightful perspectives.

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.