Sankey charts are an incredibly powerful tool for visualizing the flow and movement of data. Whether you’re analyzing traffic flow, energy consumption, financial transactions, or just about any other type of data, a Sankey chart can help you understand the relationships and flow between different sources and destinations.

In this article, we will explore the creation and applications of Sankey charts, and how you can unleash their power to bring clarity and insight to your data.

Understanding Sankey Charts

A Sankey chart, named after its inventor, energy engineer Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey, is a type of flow network diagram. It shows connections between data sources (nodes) with wide arrows, whose widths are proportional to the flow they represent. This visual representation allows for an intuitive understanding of the quantity and distribution of flows across various areas.

Key Features of Sankey Charts

1. Visualization of Flow: The most important feature of a Sankey chart is its ability to show the flow and magnitude of data between different nodes. By using varying widths and orientations of the arrows, it becomes easy to grasp the volume of data that passes through each connection.

2. Hierarchy and Structure: Sankey charts naturally support hierarchical data, where you can organize nodes into categories and subcategories. This structure helps in visualizing the flow between broad categories as well as specific entities within those categories.

3. Time Series Analysis: With the ability to include time as a dimension in Sankey charts, you can analyze the flow data over successive periods. This is particularly useful for understanding trends and patterns in the movement of data.

4. Comparative Analysis: Sankey charts can be used to compare flow within different sets of data, allowing for a nuanced understanding of similarities and differences in the flow patterns between different sources, destinations, or time periods.

Creation and Customization of Sankey Charts

Creating an effective Sankey chart involves a few key steps:

1. Data Preparation: Start by gathering accurate data that includes source, destination, and flow quantities. It’s important that the data is clean and well-structured, as Sankey charts require specific formatting, including data in terms of source, target, and the flow (usually a quantitative measure like quantity or cost).

2. Tool Selection: Choose a tool or software that supports Sankey diagram creation. Popular options include tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Microsoft Excel, and Python libraries like plotly or bokeh. Each tool offers different levels of customization and capabilities, so selection should be based on your specific needs and familiarity with the platform.

3. Configuration and Layout: Within your chosen tool, input your data and configure the settings for each node and flow. This includes setting the appearance of nodes, adjusting the width of flows according to the data values, and possibly customizing the layout to enhance readability and highlight specific trends.

4. Validation and Refinement: Once your Sankey chart is created, validate it for clarity and accuracy. Ensure that the chart effectively communicates the flow data and that no critical information is lost or misinterpreted. Be prepared to refine the chart by adjusting elements such as font sizes, color schemes, or layout positions based on feedback or personal preferences.

Applications of Sankey Charts

Sankey charts have a wide range of applications across different fields:

• Energy Production and Consumption: Visualize energy flows from various sources to destinations, such as a power grid showing energy flow from renewable to non-renewable sources.

• Transportation Analysis: Use Sankey charts to show flow in transportation systems, like road networks or shipping routes, to understand traffic patterns and potential bottlenecks.

• Economic Analysis: Analyze economic transactions, for example, flows of goods and services across countries or sectors in an economy.

• Environmental Studies: Study nutrient flows in ecosystems, water usage in rivers, or air pollution across regions.

• Business Intelligence: Track sales pipelines, customer journeys, or supply chain transitions to optimize business processes.

Conclusion

Sankey charts offer unparalleled insights into complex flow relationships, making them an indispensable tool for data analysis in various fields. By mastering the creation and customization of these charts, you can effectively communicate flow dynamics, highlight trends, and support decision-making processes with clear, visually compelling presentations of data. Whether you’re analyzing traffic patterns, energy usage, or financial transactions, Sankey charts are a powerful way to turn data into meaningful insights.

Further Reading

• “Sankey Diagrams: A Complete Guide” by Venngage
• “Creating Sankey Diagrams” by DataCamp

This article serves as a comprehensive introduction to Sankey charts, from their creation to their diverse applications, illustrating why they are a fundamental tool in the data visualization arsenal.

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.