UX improvements for faster simulation modelling

Witness 28 introduces a range of UX improvements designed to make simulation modelling faster, clearer and more efficient. Each release continues to strengthen what you can model, with new features that extend capability and depth.

Alongside those functional enhancements, Witness 28 also delivers a set of carefully considered UX updates. These UX improvements focus on how you work with Witness, making modelling faster, smoother and more efficient. They refine everyday interactions, smooth common workflows, and reduce small sources of friction that naturally appear as models grow in both size and complexity.

Some of these updates add practical precision. Others are best described as quality‑of‑life improvements. Individually, they are subtle. Taken together, they make model building feel more fluid, consistent, and focused.

This article highlights those UX improvements, explains where you are most likely to notice them, and shows how they support real modelling work.

Cleaner, better‑aligned layouts

Display accuracy, alignment, and readability

Clear layouts have always been central to effective Witness models. Whether you are explaining a concept, supporting operational discussions, or sharing a model with others, what’s on screen matters.

Witness 28 refines several areas of layout control to make that clarity easier to maintain.

What’s changed?

Auto‑generated descriptive names

When you add new elements, Witness now creates readable ‘Descriptive Names’ automatically, with sensible spacing and casing. If you later rename the element, the display label stays in sync.

Descriptive names have always been a great method of displaying ‘familiar’ element names that don’t need to align with Witness’ naming rules of conventions (Think ‘CNC Milling Machine’ not ‘CNC_Milling_Machine’.

Previously, they needed to be added manually, but this update takes care of it for you, as your models evolve.

Import background image

Background images can now be imported directly into a model as backdrop icons. This streamlines a common familiar workflow by automating intermediate steps.

This is a great quality‑of‑life improvement; a quicker way to do something many modellers already do in most projects. Note that when this option is used, the background image is still added to the Picture Gallery as normal for future reference, Witness will just pick the first available slot in the Gallery.

Rotation by degrees

Icons now support rotation using explicit degree values rather than relying only on manual dragging. Angles can be set between 0 and 360, with negative values rotating anticlockwise before normalising.

Display object dimension Set & Get

SetDimensions, GetDimensionX, and GetDimensionY allow accurate sizing of display items:

• Icons and rectangles use width and height
• Lines use endpoint coordinates
• Ellipses use radii

These functions make it easier to apply consistent sizing of graphics across model layouts, whether sizing rectangles to buffer areas on layouts or creating custom progress bars, this expands existing functionality to new graphic types, allowing a common workflow across elements.

Why this matters…

These refinements support intention and consistency in layout work.

• Descriptive names remain readable and aligned with the model structure.
• Degree‑based rotation makes it straightforward to align displays with CAD drawings or imported plans.
• SetDimensions supports repeatable sizes for bays, conveyors, or working areas without relying on visual approximation.
• Background images provide context early, helping viewers orient themselves quickly.

The emphasis is not on changing how layouts work, but on making it easier to keep them accurate and well presented as models develop.

A real‑world use case

A simulation team is developing a warehouse concept model and imports a CAD floorplan image as a backdrop in one step. Stations and conveyors icons can be rotated to match the drawing precisely. Bay widths are applied consistently using SetDimensions to match the layout scale.

As the model develops and equipment names change, the display labels remain accurate automatically. By the first walkthrough, the layout reflects the physical design clearly, supporting productive discussion, rather than explanation.

Supporting models that work with real world time

What’s changed?

Start From Today

Many Witness models are used repeatedly, often as part of daily or weekly planning workflows, using the new ‘Start From Today’ option in Clock, options allow the DateTime of the Witness model run to be aligned with today’s date in one click.

Why this matters…

This refinement supports models that are closely tied to operational schedules, such as daily planning simulations, operational improvement and real-time modelling.

Starting from the current date:

• Aligns arrivals and shifts with real calendars.
• Helps reports and timelines match planning discussions.
• Reduces the need for repeated manual date adjustments.

It keeps models contextually aligned with how they are being used, without changing the underlying logic.

A real‑world use case

A planner runs daily capacity scenarios ahead of a morning review. With ‘Start From Today’ enabled, the model opens on the correct date and results align naturally with the day’s plan. When analysing model results with the wider team, the time is spent focused on analysing outcomes aligned with real dates, not explaining that Day 1 in the model results is actually April 7th in the real world.

Smoother everyday interaction

Many of the UX updates in Witness 28 focus on small interactions that occur frequently during model building. These changes are intended to make common actions feel more direct and predictable and to speed up your workflows.

What’s changed?

Smoother cloning workflow

When an element is cloned, the new instance is selected automatically, allowing immediate editing and faster layout building.

Double click to edit Functions

Double‑clicking a Function in the Display Layout or on the Element Tree opens the Actions editor directly, matching common editing patterns and speeding up model changes. The Function return type and parameters can still be accessed via their own Properties, but the frequently accessed Actions are now easier to navigate.

Refined navigation on the model canvas

• Right‑click panning provides an accessible alternative to the middle mouse button.
• The mouse wheel zooms at the cursor position.
• Plus and minus keyboard keys zoom to the window centre.
• Dragging elements beyond the visible area scrolls the canvas automatically.

Window numbers for OPENWIN and CLOSEWIN

Model windows now have numeric identifiers, making scripted window control easier and more reliable.

Why this matters…

These changes make it easier to interact with Witness as you build your models. Cloning elements and editing functions becomes faster, reducing the time taken to build your models, while the refinements to navigation make it easier to work with large models, especially if using a laptop rather than a mouse.

A real world use case

A modeller builds a line composed of similar stations, while another modeller writes functions to handle process routing, which is changing as the project evolves.

In Witness 28, when the stations are cloned, each new station can be moved and positioned on the layout immediately, and the Function can be opened instantly for logic refinements. As the layout grows, drag scrolling helps reposition the view smoothly.

Cleaner file handling and setup consistency

As models grow and projects mature, folders tend to fill up. Live models sit alongside backups, snapshots, and supporting data files. Witness 28 introduces a set of refinements that simplify working with these files simpler and make workflows and file exchanges more predictable.

What’s changed?

Clearer separation between Open/Save and Import/Export

Open and Save now apply only to files that represent entire Witness models. When you browse a folder to open a model, you will by default see the Witness model files in that directory. Other model file types, such as text backups (*.wxm) or .sim files created during a run, remain accessible to Open. Partial model contents, such as Module (*.mdl or *.wxmdl) files or Designer Element (*.des) files are now brought into the current model using the Import menu. This creates a clearer distinction between working with full models and bringing in supplementary formats.

Save operations continue to be used for full model formats, reinforcing a consistent standard for model files. When a partial format is required, Export provides options for file types as needed.

Startup options grouped in File Options

Model Startup settings are now located within File Options, making configuration easier to find and standardise.

UTF 8 text handling

Witness now writes text based files using UTF 8 and automatically detects encoding when reading files created elsewhere. This improves reliability when files are shared between different systems, tools, or regions.

Why this matters…

These changes make working with simulation files feel clearer and more predictable.

In Open, you’ll see only the model files that you’re looking for, saving time and reducing second guessing. Models save in the expected format by default, while other file types remain available when you need them.

Within the model, setup options are easier to find, while behind the scenes, file sharing is more reliable when moving data between teams, systems or geographies.

A real world use case

A modelling team works from shared project folders containing live models, and module template definitions. When opening a model, only valid .mod files are displayed, making selection straightforward. Module files remain available through Import when needed, without cluttering the Open dialog.

Saving the model consistently produces a .mod file, while Export provides a clear route for saving components of the model in other formats. Text based data files move cleanly between team members in different regions without encoding issues.

The workflow feels tidier, more predictable, and easier to explain to new team members.

Final thoughts

These UX improvements focus on the parts of modelling you touch every day. Laying things out, moving around the model, opening and saving files, keeping things tidy as a project evolves. Some updates make specific tasks more predictable and repeatable, while others are quality of life tweaks that remove steps to smooth workflows.

Individually, these may seem like small tweaks but in the daily use of Witness 28 they add up to a quicker, easier modelling experience. For those of us who spend a lot of time in Witness, these are the types of changes that really make a difference day-to-day.

Start working with of one of your current models in Witness 28, and make sure to use it in your next model build. If you spot improvements that save you time or reduce friction in your own workflow, share that feedback through the user portal. Those insights directly shape what comes next!

Witness 28 UX improvements demonstrate how small changes to usability can significantly improve simulation modelling efficiency. By reducing friction across everyday tasks, users can build models faster, maintain clearer layouts and focus on delivering better outcomes.