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Choosing the right data visualization tool can make it very easy to communicate your findings. On the other hand, using the right tool ineffectively can leave your audience confused.
Sankey Diagrams are your best bet to visually present data flows. An example of a data flow is the flow of your visitors through your website.
In this article, we will learn:
Let’s dive right in.
Sankey Diagram is a type of data visualization that shows a flow of data from multiple source levels to multiple destination levels. It is also known as Sankey Chart.
They are used in advanced analytics.
Sankey Charts allow you to show an entire process, including all the stages and their interrelatedness.
It is also easy to see the greatest contributor to the data flow.
A good Sankey Diagram example is user flow data through a website. Most users begin at the landing page before visiting other pages and finally dropping off.
Some will drop off even on the landing page.
Now that we know what Power BI Sankey Diagrams are, let’s delve into some best-case scenarios.
An example of this use case is visualizing customers’ journeys. This helps companies understand how customers interact with products and services and with the brand in general.
Businesses with repeat customers, for example, would benefit from creating Sankey Charts. The Netflix marketing team, for instance, might want to map their customers’ viewing journeys.
They can make use of information from their predictive algorithm. To make the data even more beneficial, they can group it based on customer demographics.
This would help them craft more relatable marketing messages, for example.
An example of hierarchical data is the mapping of revenue based on region. The Netflix sales team, for example, can map their revenue by region.
The region with the highest revenue would be the biggest contributor. Eventually, they can rank the data based on width (representing the revenue per region).
The links with the greatest widths will be ranked first.
What makes a Power BI Sankey Diagram effective?
Your Sankey Chart should clearly show the connections and relationships between nodes. This will help your audience understand the overall data story you are trying to tell.
Now that we know what makes a Sankey Chart effective, let’s learn how to create one.
A good Sankey Diagram example can be the flow of your annual expenses. This way, you can see your biggest expenses, which will be your biggest contributor.
There are several ways to create a Sankey Diagram:
We will focus on creating Sankey Charts within Power BI. You don’t require any programming knowledge to create a Sankey Diagram with Power BI.
You can create your Sankey within a very short time and adjust it as needed.
There are two options when creating Sankey Diagrams within Power BI:
We’ll look at drawing Sankey Charts with both, step by step.
We will divide the steps into several stages.
You need to have Power BI Desktop installed on your computer to use this option. We will divide the steps into several stages.
You are all set to go and present your newly created Sankey Diagram to your audience. Next, let’s look at some frequently asked questions.
You need to ensure that you have only one row for every entry. For example, you should only have one entry per region if you are showing regional data.
Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey was the first person to use a Sankey Diagram. He was an Irish captain. He used it to show a steam engine’s efficiency in 1989. The Sankey Diagram is named after him.
Using the right tool for data visualization helps you get your message across to your audience. Sankey charts are your best option for presenting data flows.
We have explored the world of Power BI Sankey Diagrams in depth. We began by defining Sankey Charts and their components (nodes, links, and drop-offs).
We then looked at some best-case scenarios where you can use Sankey Diagrams. Sankey Charts can be used when looking for patterns over a period of time. They are also handy when working with hierarchical data.
We discussed some factors that determine what an effective Sankey Chart is. These include simplicity, width, and storytelling. The most important takeaways are:
Ultimately, we learned how to create Sankey Diagrams, step by step. We looked at making Sankey Charts with Power BI Web Service. We also discussed drawing Sankey Diagrams with Power BI Desktop.
We answered a few frequently asked questions related to Sankey Charts, too. We tackled the data used in Sankey Diagrams and the history behind their origins.
Sankey Diagrams are a great data visualization tool, especially when used in the correct scenarios.
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