Sankey charts are a type of data visualization that effectively depicts flows and transfers between different categories or nodes. They are particularly useful for showing the movement of something such as energy, traffic, data, or people through a system. In this article, we’ll explore how to create and leverage Sankey charts to unleash their true power in understanding complex data relationships.
What are Sankey Charts?
Sankey diagrams take their name from Captain Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey, who first used this type of visualization in 1898. They use arrows, or arcs, to represent flows, with the width of each arrow proportional to the quantity of the flow it represents. This makes it easy to visualize the magnitude of the flow between different points in a system.
Uses of Sankey Charts
Sankey charts have a wide range of applications across various fields, including:
- Energy systems and conservation – To visualize energy consumption or generation, showing how energy moves through a system, from various sources to different end uses.
- Transportation – For mapping traffic flow, understanding distribution systems, or modeling urban traffic patterns.
- Economic flows – To illustrate trade flows between countries, supply chains, or financial transactions.
- Data networks – In information technology, to visualize data flows on networks or pathways in complex systems.
- Biological systems – In biology, to explore the passage of matter (nutrients), energy, or information between different parts of an organism.
How to Create Sankey Charts
While it’s possible to create simple Sankey charts by hand, especially when dealing with low complexity, using software tools can significantly enhance both efficiency and accuracy. Here are a few steps on how you might create a Sankey chart:
1. Data Preparation
- Collect Data: Gather your data, ensuring it includes the source, destination, and the magnitude of the flow. Typically, this data is organized in a table with columns for these three aspects.
- Export Data Format: Ensure your data is ready for charting software. This might mean converting it into a CSV, Excel, or JSON format.
2. Choose a Tool
- General Tools: Options like Excel, Tableau, Google Charts, or R and Python libraries (GGplot2, Plotly) offer templates and capabilities to create Sankey diagrams quickly.
- Specialized Software: Tools like SmartDraw, SmartDraw for Office, or online platforms designed specifically for Sankey diagrams (like Canva or Venngage) offer more intuitive interfaces.
3. Design Your Chart
- Input Data: Import your data into the chosen tool.
- Customize Layout: Choose how sources and destinations are connected, ensuring the chart is clear and uncluttered.
- Adjust Widths: Since the width represents the flow magnitude, adjust these settings based on your data values.
4. Enhance Your Chart
- Colors: Use colors to differentiate between different flows or categories. This can make the chart more visually appealing and easier to interpret.
- Labels: Ensure all nodes have clear labels that describe them accurately. Optional text annotations can enhance understanding.
- Titles and Legends: Add descriptive titles and legends, which are crucial for clarity, especially in more complex diagrams.
Unleashing the Power: Best Practices
- Analyze Before Design: Understand the data thoroughly to ensure the chart accurately represents the flows.
- Keep It Simple: Avoid cluttering the chart with too many flows and categories. Simplification can enhance clarity and readability.
- Use Interactivity: In digital tools, explore the use of interactive elements, which can allow users to explore specific flows in more detail, enhancing engagement and information depth.
- Consistency and Scale: Maintain consistent widths for flows that should be seen as equivalent, keeping the scale reasonable to avoid overwhelming the viewer.
By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively use Sankey charts to visualize and explore data that tracks and analyzes flows through systems, unlocking new insights and revealing complex patterns that might be hidden with more traditional forms of data presentation.
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.
