In accordance with preferred embodiments and applications of the invention, an automated custom configuration system (and method) is provided for facilitating the configuration and customization of desired products, services, or other objects that require users to gather and assimilate disparate relevant information (e.g., knowledge of makes, models, types, features, options, limitations, codes, and prices of the desired product/service (or group of the same) to be configured and customized). In accordance with a preferred embodiment, custom configuration may be facilitated through a parametric drawing engine which provides illustrations of configuration data. User modification of an element of an illustrated object may cause the parametric drawing engine to determine and display a corresponding modification in the remaining elements of the illustration such that the connections of the modified element to the remaining elements remains the same and the parameters of the object adhere to the relevant design rules, or other requirements of a given vendor or manufacturer. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a change in an attribute of an element of an illustrated object (e.g., color, material, texture, etc.) causes the engine to determine and display corresponding changes in the attributes of certain other elements.