In a method for operating a machine tool system with a machine tool for machining a workpiece using a tool, a control device is connected to the machine tool for generating a relative movement between the workpiece and the tool using a program executable by the control device. The control device includes an operating unit having a display device, allowing an operator to interact with the control device. The operator can manually alter with the operating unit a technology parameter. However, the operator generally does not know how a manual alteration of a technology parameter will affect productivity. Therefore, a measure for a change to production-related characteristics variable resulting from the manual alteration is determined and displayed to the operator on the display device directly or in relation to an associated relative measure.