A method of generating and displaying, via a computing device having a user interface (13, 30), a graphic trend symbol that identifies a trend of a process variable in a process control system of a process control plant, the method comprising: generating a first graphic element that represents: a rate of change trend attribute, the rate of change trend attribute indicating a rate of change of the process variable or a direction of change trend attribute, the direction of change trend attribute indicating a direction of change of the process variable; and; displaying the graphic trend symbol on the user interface (13, 30) in a graphical representation of the process control plant, the method characterised by further comprising the steps of displaying: the graphic trend symbol on the user interface (13,30) in a summary view of graphic trend symbols in a summary pane, the summary pane including a process variable title and the graphic trend symbol including the first graphic element, a detailed pane in which is displayed more detailed process information for the process variable than the summary pane including a detailed view which includes a larger, higher resolution version of the graphic trend symbol, current process variable magnitude/position value and desired value comparison diagrams, and an actual actuator or value position, and an expanded pane in which is displayed more detailed process information for the process variable than the detailed pane including an expanded view of the process variable which includes information from the detailed view and a historical trend graph. generating a first graphic element that represents: a rate of change trend attribute, the rate of change trend attribute indicating a rate of change of the process variable or a direction of change trend attribute, the direction of change trend attribute indicating a direction of change of the process variable; and; displaying the graphic trend symbol on the user interface (13, 30) in a graphical representation of the process control plant, the method characterised by further comprising the steps of displaying: the graphic trend symbol on the user interface (13,30) in a summary view of graphic trend symbols in a summary pane, the summary pane including a process variable title and the graphic trend symbol including the first graphic element, a detailed pane in which is displayed more detailed process information for the process variable than the summary pane including a detailed view which includes a larger, higher resolution version of the graphic trend symbol, current process variable magnitude/position value and desired value comparison diagrams, and an actual actuator or value position, and an expanded pane in which is displayed more detailed process information for the process variable than the detailed pane including an expanded view of the process variable which includes information from the detailed view and a historical trend graph. a rate of change trend attribute, the rate of change trend attribute indicating a rate of change of the process variable or a direction of change trend attribute, the direction of change trend attribute indicating a direction of change of the process variable; and; displaying the graphic trend symbol on the user interface (13, 30) in a graphical representation of the process control plant, the method characterised by further comprising the steps of displaying: the graphic trend symbol on the user interface (13,30) in a summary view of graphic trend symbols in a summary pane, the summary pane including a process variable title and the graphic trend symbol including the first graphic element, a detailed pane in which is displayed more detailed process information for the process variable than the summary pane including a detailed view which includes a larger, higher resolution version of the graphic trend symbol, current process variable magnitude/position value and desired value comparison diagrams, and an actual actuator or value position, and an expanded pane in which is displayed more detailed process information for the process variable than the detailed pane including an expanded view of the process variable which includes information from the detailed view and a historical trend graph.