A programming system for selecting an electrode configuration for use in a medical electrical stimulator coupled to an electrode array. A programmer is configured for providing a set of electrode configurations for the electrode array, automatically testing a first portion of the set of electrode configurations in a first order, allowing the selection of one or more of the tested electrode configurations, determining whether a suitable number of electrode configurations from among the first portion have been selected within a predefined interval, and automatically testing a second portion of the set of electrode configurations in a second order if the suitable number of electrode configurations from among the first portion are not selected within the predefined interval. The programmer may further allow the selection of the tested electrode configurations, and adjusting parameters during the testing, wherein the adjusting is controllably shared in parallel between a clinician and a patient.