This is an interactive data visualization prototype for an online interactive experience. A huge dataset is visualized as colored points in a clustered 3D point cloud. By a set of simple interactions within the 3D space, the user can easily explore the data in multiple states and hierarchies.

For confidential reasons, the original dataset was replaced by a public dataset of QS World University Rankings to make the demo in this post. This interactive prototype was created with Javascript (Three.js and p5.js). Below are some examples of the visualization and interactions:

University names are visualized as points clustered by the countries they are from.

In rollover mode, mouse hover activates the point to display the university name.

Clicking on a country name brings the viewer into a sub-cluster of the country and shows the city names where the universities are from.

In filter mode, user can cycle through different sizes of university by clicking the buttons.

Light intensity changes with camera distance and random clusters periodically disappear/reappear over time to create a more realistic and organic look and feel.

Complete demo of interaction see the video on the top of this page.