The Sankey Diagram, also known as Sankey charts or Sankey diagrams, is a particularly effective and visually compelling tool for representing the flow of information in complex processes, systems, or hierarchies. In a nutshell, the Sankey chart is a graphical representation of flows, typically between states of a system. They provide meaningful insights by showing flow capacities, inefficiencies and proportions, thereby aiding in the analysis and discussion of the use of resources. The following article delves systematically into Sankey chart creation methods, techniques, and various applications.
Sankey Chart Creation: Foundations and Principles
Sankey charts begin with a structure of rectangles, with the height of each rectangle showing the magnitude of the process and the length indicating the proportion of that process in the overall system. Information flows across the chart from the input on the left to the output on the right, forming a clear visual pathway or “Sankey pattern.”
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Identify the Input and Output: The flow begins at what is typically considered the origin of the system on the left (input), and concludes at the final outcome of the system on the right (output), or sink).
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Calculate the Volume of Flow: The values representing the flow of information between different states must be as accurate and specific as possible.
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Create The Charts: Once the data is prepared, create the visualization using standard drawing and diagramming tools or specialized visualization software. Tools like Microsoft Excel, Tableau, or specialized plugins for programming languages such as R and Python are widely used for this purpose.
Applications of Sankey Charts
Despite being a relatively simple concept, the applications of Sankey charts span across a range of industries and applications:
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Energy and Sustainability: They are commonly used to show the energy consumption pathways within a production system, highlighting areas of potential efficiency and conservation.
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Business and Financial Analysis: Sankey charts track data like revenue streams, profitability ratios, and resource allocation, offering a clear depiction of financial flows within an organization.
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Transportation: They are used to showcase logistics and transportation routes, thus providing an improved understanding of carbon footprints and emissions.
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Environmental Studies: In this domain, they help in interpreting the impacts of different environmental processes on various ecological systems.
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Healthcare: Information on patient flow across different departments, treatment processes, or disease progression/transmission pathways can be effectively depicted through Sankey charts.
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Art and Design: Even in this creative field, artists leverage these tools for an alternative way of visualizing data and information in their projects.
Conclusion:
Despite the simplicity of the concept behind Sankey charts, they offer significant advantages. In an age where big data and complex systems are becoming increasingly common, clear and uncomplicated visual representations like Sankey diagrams are invaluable assets for researchers, policymakers, investors, or the general public aiming to make sense of intricate processes. By effectively communicating data through such diagrams, insights can be brought to the forefront, facilitating meaningful solutions to pressing issues and fostering greater collaboration on common goals.
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