Sankey charts are a powerful tool for visualizing the flow of data or resources through a system. These charts are named after Captain Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey, an 19th-century engineer and statistician who developed the first Sankey diagram while working on steam engine efficiency.
In a Sankey chart, a horizontal or vertical axis represents the flow of material or data, while the vertical or horizontal axis represents the source and destination of the flow. The width of the arrows or lines in the chart represents the amount of data or material being transferred, making it easy to see which flows are the most significant. This makes it possible to identify patterns and connections in complex data and systems that might be difficult to discern using other types of charts.
Sankey charts have a wide range of applications, from visualizing energy consumption and production in power grids, to tracking the movement of goods and services in supply chains, to mapping the flow of data in complex computer networks. They are particularly useful for visualizing flows that are not linear or one way, but rather have many inputs and outputs, making it difficult to identify the direction of flow using other types of charts.
Creating a Sankey chart involves several steps. First, you need to define the sources and destinations of the flow you want to visualize. Then you need to determine the amount of data or material being transferred from each source to each destination. This information is typically organized in a table, where each row represents a different flow, and the columns represent the source, destination, and amount of data or material.
Once you have your data organized, you can use a Sankey chart tool to create the chart. These tools typically allow you to specify the width of the channels based on the amount of data or material being transferred, as well as the color and layout of the chart. There are many options for Sankey chart tools available, ranging from specialized software packages to online chart generators.
One of the advantages of using a specialized Sankey chart tool is that it can handle large datasets and create charts with many flows. These tools often include features for filtering, sorting, and grouping data, making it possible to customize the chart to suit your specific needs.
In addition to the chart itself, many Sankey chart tools offer additional features to help you analyze and interpret the data. For example, some tools allow you to link to other data sources, such as text or images, to provide more context and information about the data being visualized. Others offer filtering and searching capabilities, allowing you to drill down into specific data points and analyze them in more detail.
Another useful feature of many Sankey chart tools is the ability to export the chart in a variety of formats, such as PDF, SVG, or HTML. This makes it easy to share your charts with others or incorporate them into reports, presentations, or web pages.
In conclusion, Sankey charts are a powerful tool for visualizing flows and connections in complex data and systems. By using Sankey charts, you can easily identify patterns and connections that might be difficult to discern using other types of charts. With the many options for Sankey chart tools and their added features, creating and sharing Sankey charts has never been easier.

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.