Sankey charts are an effective method to visualize the flow of a substance or data between multiple entities. The most well-known example of a Sankey chart is an energy flow diagram. The chart includes different colored strands, each representing the different energy sources flowing through the system. The thickness of the strands reflects the volume of energy being transferred, making it easy to see the relative importance of each source. In this way, Sankey charts provide a clear and intuitive way to understand complex systems and relationships.
Sankey diagrams can be used in many different industries and fields. They are commonly used in ecology to show energy flow in an ecosystem, in economics to visualize flows of trade between countries, in manufacturing to show material flow, and in internet usage to show data usage among different websites and domains.
To create a Sankey chart, you need to have a data set with the following information:
- Source: The starting point of the flow.
- Destination: The end point of the flow.
- Flow value: The amount of flow between the source and destination.
The data can be in a CSV, Excel or JSON format and can be plotted using various tools like Power BI, Tableau, Python libraries like Plotly, or even using programming languages like JavaScript.
The creation process involves these steps:
- Choose the visualization tool.
- Load the data into the tool.
- Select the Sankey chart option or create a Sankey chart manually by configuring the source and destination fields along with the flow value.
- Adjust the thicknesses of the strands according to the flow value.
- Customize the colors and layout of the chart according to your preference.
- Add labels, tooltips, and other elements to enhance the chart’s usability.
Once the Sankey chart is created, users can easily interpret the flow of data or substances. The visual appearance of the chart makes it easy for users to understand the relative importance of each source and the connections between them. The thickness of the strands indicates the volume of flow, making it possible to quickly identify bottlenecks or areas with high or low flow.
In conclusion, Sankey charts are highly effective in simplifying the visualization of complex systems and relationships. Whether you’re tracking energy consumption in an ecosystem or data flow in a web domain, Sankey charts provide a clear and comprehensive view of the flow of substances or data. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily create your own Sankey chart using various visualization tools, and make sense of complex system relationships.
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.
