Mechanical discipline offers functionality that simplifies component placement and modification by imbedding editable dimensions into component elements, thus enabling direct parametric editing of an element in a Heads Up Display. Modifying dimensions on the element itself provides a visual reference to what is being modified as well as simplifying navigation through long lists of component properties. There is no need, when targeting specific dimensions to modify, for a full DataGroup property panel showing all dimensional and data associated with the component. Returning to the property panel is easy by using a toggle switch that appears in every heads up display item.

Heads up display is designed to first, isolate the target component from the rest of the working model by fitting it to a predetermined view, then provide pop up dialogs when dimensions are selected. Reorienting the view to another standard viewing angle displays different dimensions. To increase efficiency, only the key dimensions that change geometry are available in the heads up display. This is especially advantageous when working with complex components containing many driven dimensional properties. That is, dimensional properties that are not directly editable, but are determined by other dimensional properties.