Status tree monitoring and display system

A method producing a status display of the process states of a complex process. The status display has a left hand side consisting of an array of status bars representing states of the process. The bars are priority ranked vertically. The right hand side consists of an array of meters showing operative states of one of the status bars on the left hand side. An operator activated cursor permits selecting a particular bar for display of states on the right hand side. Each meter in the array indicates not only the present value of the parameter being monitored but the ranges of the different function states as they correspond to the parameter being displayed by the meter. A second level display is provided which indicates the values of the parameters used in the decision making process and includes a miniature version of the summary display. A third level display is also provided which depicts detailed information on the sensor values of the parameters being monitored and also includes a miniature version of the summary status display.