A framework is presented to provide support for dynamically configuring a human-machine interface in a network management and service provisioning environment. The framework implements a file parser, methods of accessing a managed object server to interact with instances of managed data network entity objects, a multitude of view panel components and a command interpreter. A multitude of run-time loadable descriptor files are provided to specify the functionality, of view panel instances used by an analyst manipulate information in interacting with the network management and service provisioning environment. The parser is used to load descriptor files and instantiate view panels on demand. Advantages are derived from a separation between network management and service provisioning software application coded functionality and the specification of the human-machine interface presented to the analyst, providing for improved development, maintenance and deployment of the network management and service provisioning solution.