Method for creating an operating interface for a first household appliance from a plurality of household appliances, wherein said method comprises - providing a plurality of different generic operating elements for specifying different functionalities and/or parameters of the plurality of household appliances; - determining a status of the first household appliance; - determining description data for the first household appliance; wherein the description data indicates - which one or more of the plurality of generic operating elements are used to operate the first household appliance, depending on the status, and - which functionalities and/or parameter values of the first household appliance can be set via the one or more generic operating elements used; and - setting the operating interface for the first household appliance on the input/output unit of a control unit on the basis of the plurality of different generic operating elements and on the basis of the description data for the first household appliance, as well as on the basis of the status and a system of rules for the rule-based interpretation of the description data; and - dynamically adapting the operating interface for the first household appliance to the input/output unit of a control unit on the basis of the plurality of different generic operating elements and on the basis of the description data for the first household appliance, as well as on the basis of the status and a system of rules for the rule-based interpretation of the description data, if it is detected that the status of the first household appliance has changed. - providing a plurality of different generic operating elements for specifying different functionalities and/or parameters of the plurality of household appliances; - determining a status of the first household appliance; - determining description data for the first household appliance; wherein the description data indicates - which one or more of the plurality of generic operating elements are used to operate the first household appliance, depending on the status, and - which functionalities and/or parameter values of the first household appliance can be set via the one or more generic operating elements used; and - which one or more of the plurality of generic operating elements are used to operate the first household appliance, depending on the status, and - which functionalities and/or parameter values of the first household appliance can be set via the one or more generic operating elements used; and - setting the operating interface for the first household appliance on the input/output unit of a control unit on the basis of the plurality of different generic operating elements and on the basis of the description data for the first household appliance, as well as on the basis of the status and a system of rules for the rule-based interpretation of the description data; and - dynamically adapting the operating interface for the first household appliance to the input/output unit of a control unit on the basis of the plurality of different generic operating elements and on the basis of the description data for the first household appliance, as well as on the basis of the status and a system of rules for the rule-based interpretation of the description data, if it is detected that the status of the first household appliance has changed.