A method of monitoring data on an industrial process network, the method comprising: transmitting, by a field device over the industrial process network, data to a host device configured to send and receive messages with one or more field devices, characterized in that the data transmitted over the industrial process network by the field device comprises: process data identified for use in real-time control of an industrial process; view data corresponding to the process data, the view data descriptive of one or more attributes of the process data; and an alert generated by the field device, the alert corresponding to an operational state of the field device; monitoring, by a data monitoring device, the data transmitted over the industrial process network; interpreting, by the data monitoring device, one or more attributes of the process data based on the view data; outputting, by the data monitoring device, at least a portion of the data for display at a display device operatively coupled to the data monitoring device, wherein outputting at least the portion of the data for display at the display device comprises outputting the interpreted process data and the alert for display at the display device; and transmitting, by the data monitoring device, a response message to the alert, the response message configured to acknowledge the alert transmitted by the field device. transmitting, by a field device over the industrial process network, data to a host device configured to send and receive messages with one or more field devices, characterized in that the data transmitted over the industrial process network by the field device comprises: process data identified for use in real-time control of an industrial process; view data corresponding to the process data, the view data descriptive of one or more attributes of the process data; and an alert generated by the field device, the alert corresponding to an operational state of the field device; monitoring, by a data monitoring device, the data transmitted over the industrial process network; interpreting, by the data monitoring device, one or more attributes of the process data based on the view data; outputting, by the data monitoring device, at least a portion of the data for display at a display device operatively coupled to the data monitoring device, wherein outputting at least the portion of the data for display at the display device comprises outputting the interpreted process data and the alert for display at the display device; and transmitting, by the data monitoring device, a response message to the alert, the response message configured to acknowledge the alert transmitted by the field device. process data identified for use in real-time control of an industrial process; view data corresponding to the process data, the view data descriptive of one or more attributes of the process data; and an alert generated by the field device, the alert corresponding to an operational state of the field device; monitoring, by a data monitoring device, the data transmitted over the industrial process network; interpreting, by the data monitoring device, one or more attributes of the process data based on the view data; outputting, by the data monitoring device, at least a portion of the data for display at a display device operatively coupled to the data monitoring device, wherein outputting at least the portion of the data for display at the display device comprises outputting the interpreted process data and the alert for display at the display device; and transmitting, by the data monitoring device, a response message to the alert, the response message configured to acknowledge the alert transmitted by the field device.