Inspection program editing environment with simulation status and control continually responsive to selection operations

A system is provided for programming workpiece feature inspection operations for a coordinate measuring machine. The system includes a computer-aided design (CAD) file processing portion and a user interface including a workpiece inspection program simulation portion, an editing user interface portion, and a simulation status and control portion. The simulation status and control portion is configured to respond to selection of workpiece features or inspection operation representations (e.g., as selected in the workpiece inspection program simulation portion or editing user interface portion). The simulation status and control portion response to the selection includes altering a simulation status portion (e.g., altering a numerical time representation or a position of a current time indicator) to characterize a state of progress through a current workpiece feature inspection plan corresponding to the portion of the current workpiece feature inspection plan directed to the selected workpiece feature or inspection operation representation.