Sankey charts are a powerful tool for visualizing flows, and in recent years they have become more and more popular among data analysts and designers. These charts use arrows to show the movement of data between different nodes, making it easy to see how flows are distributed between categories and how they change over time. In this article, we will explore the power of Sankey charts and how they can help us better understand and communicate complex flows.
What are Sankey charts?
Sankey charts are named after Scottish engineer Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey, who first used them in the late 1800s to depict the energy consumption of the New England Steam Navigation Company. Since then, these charts have become widely used in a variety of contexts, including business, science, and art. They can be used to visualize flows between any two or more entities, such as countries, industries, products, or people.
The key feature of Sankey charts is the use of arrows or “stream lines” to show the movement of data between nodes. The width of each arrow corresponds to the volume of flow between nodes, so it is easy to see which flows are the most significant. This makes Sankey charts an excellent tool for showing relationships between categories, such as how products are produced and consumed, or how people are moving between different regions or demographic groups.
Sankey chart creation
Creating a Sankey chart involves several steps:
1. Gather data: The first step is to collect the data you want to visualize. You will need to determine the categories you want to compare and the flows between them. For example, you might want to show how much of a product is produced domestically versus imported, or how much of a company’s revenue comes from different markets.
2. Clean the data: Once you have collected your data, you will need to clean it to ensure it is ready for visualization. This typically involves removing any missing or irrelevant data, standardizing the data, and assigning a label to each node.
3. Choose a chart library: There are several chart libraries available that can be used to create Sankey charts, such as Matplotlib, Plotly, and D3.js. Each library has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your needs and expertise.
4. Create the chart: Using the chosen chart library, you can now create your Sankey chart. This typically involves specifying the data and labels, defining the colors and width of the arrows, and setting any other customizations that you want to make.
5. Fine-tune and publish: After creating the chart, you can fine-tune it by adding labels, adjusting the layout, and making any other changes that you think will improve its clarity and impact. Once you are satisfied with the final result, you can save the chart as an image or HTML file and publish it on your website, blog, or other platform of choice.
Applications of Sankey charts
Sankey charts have a wide range of applications in different fields, including:
- Business: Sankey charts can be used to visualize supply chain flows, customer journeys, revenue streams, and more. They can also be used to show the distribution of resources or assets between different regions or departments.
- Science: In the field of data science and statistics, Sankey charts can be used to analyze complex flows of data, such as heat transfer, energy consumption, or particle movement.
- Art: Sankey charts can also be used as a creative tool to tell stories through data visualization. Artists and designers can use them to create visually striking and engaging works of art, such as conceptual maps or interactive installations.
In conclusion, Sankey charts are a powerful tool for visualizing flows and relationships in data. They offer a unique way to understand complex systems and structures, and can help us communicate insights to others more effectively. By following the steps outlined above, you can create your own Sankey charts using a variety of chart libraries, and explore the power of these charts for yourself.
SankeyMaster
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