A system is provided for visualizing data in a computerized visual environment. The system comprises (i) a viewing device that displays, to a user of the viewing device, a graphical user interface within a virtual three-dimensional space, (ii) a handheld device configured to allow the user to customize the display of a three-dimensional data visualization within the graphical user interface using hand motions made by the user, and (iii) a computing device coupled to the viewing device and the handheld device. The computing device is configured to cause to display to the user on the viewing device a filter plane overlaying the three-dimensional data visualization, detect a position of the filter plane that is movable by the user in the graphical user interface, and alter the three-dimensional visualization in the graphical user interface based on the detected position of the filter plane.