Systems and methods for presenting a watch area display view in a process plant are provided. Indications of process control display elements may be presented via a user interface of a computing device executing an operator application in an operating environment of a process plant. The process control display elements may be displayed in a first display region in a display view, with each of the process control display elements corresponding to process parameters. Simultaneously with the first display region, a second display region (not occluding any process control display elements) may be presented in the display view. An indication that a user has selected one of the process control display elements in the first display region for display in the second display region may be received. The one or more process parameters corresponding to the selected process control display element may be displayed in the second display region.