A method of operating a computing system to facilitate visualization of an application associated with an industrial automation environment, the method comprising: presenting a plurality of data items associated with machine operations in the industrial automation environment; receiving a user selection of at least one data item of the plurality of data items; receiving display instructions comprising display properties of the at least one data item, comprising a type of indicator for the at least one data item and position information that identifies where to display the at least one data item within a display pane, wherein the display instructions comprise instructions to split the display pane into at least two sections, wherein the number and size of the sections are defined by the user, wherein the type of indicator for at least one data item comprises one of a gauge and a trend diagram; processing the display instructions to render a graphical user interface to the application, wherein the at least one data item is displayed within the display pane according to the display properties and positioned in the graphical user interface based on the position information, wherein processing the display instructions to render the graphical user interface to the application comprises splitting the display pane into the at least two sections, wherein the one of the gauge and the trend diagram is automatically resized to fit a section of the at least two sections, the section comprising the one of the gauge and the trend diagram, characterised in that each of the one of the gauge and the trend diagram has a minimum section size threshold for displaying an image of the one of the gauge and the trend diagram and in that below the minimum section size threshold a numerical value and a label or description are displayed instead of the image of the one of the gauge and the trend diagram. presenting a plurality of data items associated with machine operations in the industrial automation environment; receiving a user selection of at least one data item of the plurality of data items; receiving display instructions comprising display properties of the at least one data item, comprising a type of indicator for the at least one data item and position information that identifies where to display the at least one data item within a display pane, wherein the display instructions comprise instructions to split the display pane into at least two sections, wherein the number and size of the sections are defined by the user, wherein the type of indicator for at least one data item comprises one of a gauge and a trend diagram; processing the display instructions to render a graphical user interface to the application, wherein the at least one data item is displayed within the display pane according to the display properties and positioned in the graphical user interface based on the position information, wherein processing the display instructions to render the graphical user interface to the application comprises splitting the display pane into the at least two sections, wherein the one of the gauge and the trend diagram is automatically resized to fit a section of the at least two sections, the section comprising the one of the gauge and the trend diagram, characterised in that each of the one of the gauge and the trend diagram has a minimum section size threshold for displaying an image of the one of the gauge and the trend diagram and in that below the minimum section size threshold a numerical value and a label or description are displayed instead of the image of the one of the gauge and the trend diagram.