Abstract: A method for controlling physical processes includes providing a process model for a physical process run by a processing plant, where the process model represents an interaction between a plurality of controlled process variables and provides a variability measure for at least a portion of the controlled process variables. The process model is used with software run on a computing device to simulate an updated operating point including an updated value or updated range for at least one selected controlled process variable, where the simulation generates a future risk profile and future profit profile for the selected controlled process variable. Risk/profit profile information is generated for the selected controlled process variable from the future risk profile together with information from the future profit profile into at least one of a combined text, numeric, and graphical representation which includes an alarm limit for the selected controlled process variable.