Visualization

/ˌθriː-diː/

n. “The perception or representation of objects with depth, height, and width.”

3D, short for three-dimensional, refers to any object, environment, or representation that has length, width, and depth, allowing for realistic perception of volume and space. In computing and media, 3D is widely used in graphics, modeling, printing, and animation to create lifelike visuals and immersive experiences.

Key characteristics of 3D include:

• Three Axes: Objects are defined along the X (width), Y (height), and Z (depth) axes.
• Perspective: Depth cues such as shading, occlusion, and vanishing points create realistic perception.
• Applications: Used in 3D modeling software, video games, movies, virtual reality, CAD, and 3D printing.
• Rendering: 3D graphics require algorithms to convert 3D objects into 2D images on a screen, often with lighting and texture applied.
• Interactivity: 3D environments can be navigated or manipulated in real time, especially in games and VR simulations.

Conceptual example of 3D in computing:

// Defining a simple 3D point in code
struct Point3D { float x; float y; float z; };
Point3D cubeVertex = {1.0, 2.0, 3.0};

Conceptually, 3D is like moving from a flat painting to a sculpture — you can view and interact with the object from multiple angles, and it occupies real space. In essence, 3D represents the transition from flat, two-dimensional representations to volumetric, spatially realistic environments, enabling richer visualization, simulation, and interactive experiences across art, engineering, and entertainment.

/ˈlʊk-ər/

n. “See the numbers, tell the story.”

Looker is a business intelligence (BI) and data analytics platform designed to turn raw data into actionable insights. It connects to databases, warehouses, and data lakes — for example, BigQuery, Cloud Storage, or SQL Server — allowing users to explore, visualize, and share data across organizations.

At its core, Looker abstracts SQL into a modeling language called LookML, which defines relationships, metrics, and dimensions in a reusable way. This lets analysts and business users query complex datasets without writing raw SQL, reducing errors and improving consistency across reports.

Looker is more than dashboards. It enables embedded analytics, scheduled reports, and data-driven workflows. For instance, a marketing team might pull campaign performance metrics and automatically trigger follow-up actions, while finance teams can produce audit-ready reports sourced directly from their database. The key advantage is centralizing the "single source of truth," so everyone in the organization makes decisions based on the same definitions.

Security and governance are built-in. User roles, access controls, and row-level security ensure that sensitive data is protected, while still providing broad analytics access for teams who need it. This balance is critical in enterprises managing compliance requirements like GDPR or CCPA.

Looker integrates with modern analytics stacks, including tools for ETL, machine learning pipelines, and visualization. It solves the common problem of fragmented data: instead of multiple spreadsheets or ad-hoc queries floating around, Looker provides a structured, governed, and interactive environment.

Consider a scenario where a sales team wants to analyze revenue by region. With Looker, they can slice and dice the data, drill into customer segments, or visualize trends over time without waiting on engineering. The same data model can serve marketing, finance, and product teams simultaneously — avoiding inconsistencies and manual reconciliation.

In short, Looker is a platform for anyone who wants to turn complex data into insight, whether through visualizations, dashboards, or integrated workflows. It combines analytical power, governance, and usability into a single tool, making it a cornerstone of modern data-driven organizations.