25 August 2025: Back in 2012, we mapped Income|Outcome and Visual Finance onto David McCandless’s Taxonomy of Ideas. By then, Visual Finance had been evolving for almost 15 years, and our simulations (which utilize visual finance methodology) had an even longer history. At the time, visualization in business learning was still an emerging conversation. Today, as visual tools become even more critical for decision-making and executive education, it’s worth revisiting how we first framed our work within this taxonomy—and how that vision continues to evolve.

Where Do Income|Outcome and Visual Finance Fit in the Taxonomy of Ideas?

At Andromeda Simulations International, we use visualization methodology in both our Income|Outcome business simulations and our Visual Finance App. We’re always exploring new ways to display information visually and discovering inspiring visualization techniques.

One approach worth sharing comes from David McCandless, author of The Visual Miscellaneum (published in the UK as Information is Beautiful). I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys exploring how information can be presented in engaging ways.

This week, McCandless introduced a Taxonomy of Ideas—his attempt at finding order in the chaos of creativity.

Finding Patterns in Creativity

(When I was studying engineering, I had a classmate, Bill, who believed: “A cluttered desk is a cluttered mind.” I always took the opposite view: “You cannot create in a vacuum.” But keeping Bill in mind, I do clear my desk at the end of each project.)

The Taxonomy of Ideas organizes ideas based on two axes:

• Functional (X-Axis): Ranges from simple utility to high-level transformation.
• Conceptual Structure (Y-Axis): Moves from basic to highly synthesized, integrating multiple elements.

I was curious about where our Income|Outcome simulations and Visual Finance App might fit within this framework.

Mapping Our Work to the Taxonomy of Ideas

Income|Outcome Business Simulations

• Functional X-Axis: The speed of learning and high retention make Income|Outcome superfunctional.
• Conceptual Structure Y-Axis: It synthesizes multiple concepts into a coherent whole.
• Position on the Chart: Somewhere between beautiful and incredible. I can live with that.

Visual Finance App

• Functional X-Axis: The app allows users to create new relationships from financial information, making it transfunctional.
• Conceptual Structure Y-Axis: It is between harmonic (integrated in nature) and synthesizing (combining multiple elements into a whole).
• Position on the Chart: Between brilliant and incredible. Which is kind of fun.

Incidentally, McCandless also uses colors in his taxonomy—and both of these ideas are categorized as unexpected and unpredictable.

The Future of Visual Finance in Business Training

I wonder if we will one day reach the top right corner of McCandless’s taxonomy—the place where ideas are both transformative and highly synthesized. It’s something to strive for.

Want to See Visual Finance in Action?

Want to see how Visual Finance continues to evolve in practice? Explore how our Income|Outcome simulations and Visual Finance tools bring clarity to business decision-making. Contact us to learn how visual business acumen training can drive impact in your organization today.