According to the configurator database a configurator is a software application for designing products exactly matching customers' individual needs.

While currently more than 500 companies have jumped on the mass customization hype, most configurators only let the user combine pre-designed modules, providing very little freedom for the user to actually immerse in the design process.

The Cell Cycle Configurator created by Nervous System is an excellent example of what a configurator should look like:

• parametric rather than just combinatoric design
• direct manipulation at several levels of abstraction (2d and 3d)
• open ended design (amount of detail controlled by the user)