Sankey charts are a type of flow diagram that visually represents the movement of quantities from one point to another. They are named after Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey, a British mechanical engineer who introduced them in the mid-1800s to illustrate the energy losses in a steam engine. Today, Sankey charts are widely used to represent complex systems, visualize flux and flow, and understand the relationships between different parts of a dataset. In this article, we’ll discuss the creation and application of Sankey charts.

Creating Sankey Charts
Creating a Sankey chart involves several steps:

1. Identify the data sources: First, identify the starting and ending points of your data, as well as the intermediate points that represent the transfers of quantities.
2. Define the data structure: Each transfer can be represented by a data series with three categories: source, flow, and destination. In most cases, this can be achieved by mapping your raw data into an appropriate structure (e.g., a Pandas DataFrame in Python).
3. Set up the chart: Create the chart using a charting library, such as Plotly, Matplotlib, or even a dedicated Sankey chart library (like plotly_expr in Julia).
4. Customize the chart: Add labels, tooltips, colors, and other visual elements to improve the readability and aesthetics of your Sankey chart.

Applications of Sankey Charts
Sankey charts find applications in various domains and industries:

1. Energy consumption: Sankey charts can be used to illustrate energy flow in systems like power grids, buildings, or industrial plants, helping researchers and engineers understand energy usage patterns and optimize energy efficiency.
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2. Material flow analysis: In manufacturing and supply chain management, Sankey charts can depict the material flow throughout a process, making it easier to identify waste streams and potential areas for resource optimization.
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3. Service networks: Sankey charts can be used to study how services are provided to users in industries such as telecommunications, banking, and social media.
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4. Public transportation networks: To map the flow of passengers between different stations, Sankey charts provide an overview of transit usage patterns, allowing decision-makers to identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency.
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5. Economic flows: Sankey charts can be used to represent trade relationships between countries or sectors, offering insights into global economic interactions and trade dynamics.
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To summarize, Sankey charts are a visually powerful tool for depicting complex relationships in datasets. They excel in illustrating the flow of quantities, such as energy, materials, passengers, or data, making them invaluable for decision-making, analysis, and optimization across various fields. Whether you need to analyze energy consumption patterns, visualize material flows in production, or optimize service networks, Sankey charts provide a compelling way to understand and communicate flux and flow in a nutshell.

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