A Recognition Frame presents multi-level application elements to the user simultaneously through a computer graphical user interface. The interface consists of an image display panel for displaying image channels; a data display panel for displaying object measurements and summary statistics; a configuration display panel for displaying recipe content; a master tab for selecting the panels. It also consists of a processing toolbar for context dependent processing tool display. The Recognition Frame further comprises a second side frame for data object display and charting. The second side frame has a tabular arrangement consisting of properties tab, controls tab, and charts tab. The Recognition Frame links application elements through a complex data model wherein interface display is automatically updated when one element is changed.