When looking at the interaction patterns offered by configurators it becomes obvious that the different types with their different goals and solution spaces must have specific characteristics in defining the way the interface to the end user has to look like.
Of particular research interest due to their wide appearance are web-based product configurators for designing products exactly matching customers’ individual needs.
These product configurators cover a range from simple Select-to-order (STO) and Pick-to-order (PTO)configuration task to currently massive growing Configure-to-order (CTO) and Assemble-to-order (ATO)configuration systems up to sophisticated Make-to-order (MTO) and high end  Engineer-to-order (ETO)solutions that bridge the field of product configurators with the field of user innovation configurators.
The latter are much more toolkits that support specific innovation processes and do consist of large solution spaces, unlimited trial-and-error cycles and a high component modularity requiring an intense level of user involvement.
Learn more on this issue in the chapter “Core Capabilities of Sustainable Mass Customization” written by our co-founder Paul Blazek together with the leading academic authority on mass customization, Frank Piller. It was published in the book “Knowledge-based Configuration” by Alexander Felfernig et al.