A computing device may receive a request to create a link between a control mechanism of a human machine interface and an attribute of a model. The model, when executed, may simulate behavior of a system. The human machine interface may correspond to a physical object. The request may include information identifying the attribute and information identifying the control mechanism. The computing device may create a link between the control mechanism and the attribute based on receiving the request. The computing device may further observe the control mechanism in a spatial environment and detect that the control mechanism has changed based on observing the control mechanism. The computing device may modify a value, associated with the attribute, based on detecting that the control mechanism has changed and based on the link.