In a data processing system that executes a program of instructions, a method for generating a detail-in-context presentation of a three-dimensional information representation comprising the steps of selecting a object-of-interest in the information representation; selecting a viewpoint; selecting a path from the viewpoint to the object-of-interest; and, displacing objects in the information representation away from the path to locations within the information representation where the objects remain visible when viewed from the viewpoint yet do not occlude the object-of-interest when viewed from the viewpoint to thereby generate the detail in context view.