Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for integrating the management of process control and network operation into one HMI software platform. The invention allows the simultaneous management of process control data and network diagnostic data transmitted over an open architecture network. The inventive system and method incorporates a network data interface in the HMI platform which retrieves network condition information using a standard network transmission protocol and then converts the diagnostic information into a useable process control format. The network information may then be readily accessed by the HMI software platform as any other process control information for display to users in a singular user interface. The resulting display allows for simultaneous monitoring and management of real-time process control and network information.