A method for operating a control device of a home automation installation of a building, the control device comprising a data input device and a display device, the control device being configured so as to control the operation of home automation equipment items and communicate with sensors, the method including automatic operation configuration steps of selecting an icon representing a first condition for implementation of an action relating to the installation out of a proposed set of condition icons, positioning the first selected condition in a matrix table accommodating the condition icons, selecting an icon representing a second condition for implementation of an action relating to the installation, and positioning the icon representing the second condition on a same row or a same column as the icon representing the first condition in the matrix table.