Use Cases
Use Cases
Sankey diagrams are particularly powerful for visualizing flows, transfers, and processes where quantities matter. Here are key application areas:
Energy & Resource Management
Scenario: Tracking energy production, consumption, and losses across a grid or facility.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- How energy flows from sources (solar, wind, grid) to end uses
- Where energy is lost in transmission or conversion
- Which consumers use the most resources
- Efficiency of different pathways
Example: Visualizing a building's energy flow from utility input through HVAC, lighting, and equipment to final consumption and waste heat.
Financial Flows
Scenario: Understanding how money moves through an organization or economy.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- Revenue streams and their relative sizes
- How budgets are allocated across departments
- Cost breakdowns and where money "leaks"
- Cash flow through business processes
Example: Tracking company revenue from product lines through operating costs, taxes, and investments to net income.
Supply Chain & Logistics
Scenario: Mapping material flows from suppliers through manufacturing to customers.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- Volume of materials from each supplier
- How materials transform through production stages
- Distribution patterns to different markets
- Waste and scrap at each stage
Example: Visualizing raw material inputs through factory processes, quality control (with rejects), and final distribution channels.
Website & App Analytics
Scenario: Understanding user journeys and conversion funnels.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- How users flow through website pages
- Where users drop off in conversion funnels
- Which paths lead to successful conversions
- Traffic sources and their contribution
Example: Mapping visitor flow from landing pages through product pages, cart, checkout, to purchase completion.
Healthcare Patient Pathways
Scenario: Tracking patient journeys through healthcare systems.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- How patients flow through care stages
- Referral patterns between specialties
- Treatment outcome distributions
- Readmission and follow-up patterns
Example: Visualizing emergency department patients flowing through triage, treatment, admission/discharge, and follow-up care.
Environmental & Sustainability
Scenario: Tracking material flows in environmental systems or circular economy initiatives.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- Resource extraction to end-of-life flows
- Recycling and waste stream proportions
- Carbon emissions through value chains
- Water usage and treatment flows
Example: Mapping plastic flows from production through consumer use to recycling, incineration, and landfill.
Process & Manufacturing
Scenario: Understanding production processes and yield analysis.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- Material transformation through production stages
- Quality control pass/fail distributions
- Rework and scrap quantities
- Bottlenecks limiting throughput
Example: Tracking semiconductor wafer production from raw materials through fabrication steps, testing, and final yield.
Migration & Demographics
Scenario: Visualizing population movements or categorical transitions.
Sankey diagrams reveal:
- Migration flows between regions
- Career transitions between industries
- Customer segment movements
- Demographic shifts over time
Example: Showing employee movement between departments, roles, or from hiring through promotion, transfer, and attrition.