Haskoning Witness 28: faster modelling, clearer insight, better control

30-06-2026

Witness 28.0 is built around a simple goal: Make day to day modelling faster, clearer, and more controllable – without changing how you fundamentally build models.

This release brings together improvements across user experience, data handling, reporting, and material flow. Individually, many of these changes are incremental. Together, they remove friction from common workflows and give you better visibility into how your systems behave.

Whether you’re building new models or evolving existing ones, Witness 28 is designed to help you move more quickly from question to answer.

In this blog, we explore the new features of Witness 28, and for a more detailed overview, check out the video below!

A more intuitive, “canvas-like” modelling experience

One of the most noticeable changes in Witness 28 is how the modelling environment feels.

The layout is now treated more like a canvas, making it easier to navigate, position, and refine models, especially as they grow in both size and complexity.

You’ll see improvements such as:

More natural zooming and panning
Clearer object interaction and resizing
A centred, more predictable layout workspace
A modernised visual style across icons, colours, and displays

These changes don’t alter what you model - but they significantly improve how easily you can build, adjust, and present your work.

The result is a smoother modelling flow, with less time spent managing the interface and more time focused on the model itself.

Clearer utilisation insight with structured state-based reporting

Witness 28 introduces a more structured way to understand what is happening inside your models through State Attributes.

Instead of tracking behaviour using loosely defined values, you can now define clear, controlled sets of states.

This enables:

More meaningful utilisation definitions
Clear tracking of how time is spent across a process
Reporting that directly reflects real-world states, such as working, waiting, and inspection

With updated reporting support, it becomes much easier to explain where time is going, where delays occur, and how processes behave overall.

In short, models become easier to interpret - not just for the modeller, but for anyone using the results.

More practical, flexible control of model data

Data Tables are often central to real-world models - driving logic, schedules, and decision-making.

Witness 28 makes them significantly easier to work with by removing common limitations and workarounds.

Key improvements include:

Simpler ways to manage table data dynamically
More robust logic through column-by-name referencing
Better integration with Experimenter for scenario analysis

These changes mean:

Less manual handling of data
More readable and maintainable model logic
Easier experimentation without unnecessary duplication

The focus is not on adding complexity, but on making existing workflows more natural and resilient.

Better experimentation with less model overhead

Experimentation becomes more streamlined in Witness 28, particularly for models driven by tables and scenario data.

You can now use Data Tables directly within Experimenter, with flexible options for how input data is handled between runs.

This allows you to:

Run variations without introducing large numbers of additional variables
Separate stable baseline data from frequently changing inputs
Keep experiments cleaner and easier to manage

The result is more controlled experimentation - and less effort maintaining model structures purely to support it.

Deeper visibility and control in material handling systems

Witness has always supported detailed material handling modelling, and this release builds further on that foundation.

Witness 28 introduces improvements that focus on control at key decision points and better visibility of movement through systems.

This includes:

More precise control when items leave conveyors and tracks
Expanded journey logging to understand how items move through systems
Greater flexibility in vehicle assignment and re-assignment

These updates make it easier to:

Model real-world decision logic at handover points
Diagnose issues and validate behaviour
Build more responsive and dynamic systems

Reducing friction across everyday workflows

A key theme throughout Witness 28 is the removal of small, everyday inefficiencies.

Across the product, you’ll notice improvements such as:

Faster interaction when editing or cloning elements
Cleaner file handling and model setup
More consistent behaviours across layouts and displays
Improved handling of text, encoding, and shared files

Individually, these may feel like minor changes.

But over time, they make a noticeable difference to productivity and model clarity.

Why this release matters

Witness 28 is not about changing how modelling works - it’s about improving how modelling feels and how clearly results can be understood.

Across the release, the focus is consistent:

Clearer insight into system behaviour
Better control at key decision points
Faster workflows with less friction

Whether you’re building complex operational models or quick exploratory simulations, these improvements help you work more efficiently and communicate results more effectively.

Final thoughts

Witness 28 brings together UI, data, logic, and reporting improvements into a cohesive update focused on real modelling work.

You’ll see:

A more fluid modelling experience
Stronger, clearer insight into utilisation and behaviour
Simpler handling of data and experiments
Greater control over how systems operate

Put simply: Witness 28 helps you get from model to meaningful insight faster - with clarity and control where it matters most.

Want to see Witness 28 in action?

Join our upcoming webinar to explore the latest improvements in more detail, see how they work in real scenarios, and ask your questions directly to our experts.
Register now and discover how Witness 28 can help you model faster and gain clearer insight!

Ben LomaxThorpe

Commercial Director - Simulation