By Daniel Croft
When starting a new project, considering the “What-ifs” is important. This is where the Structured What if Technique also known as SWIFT, comes in useful. SWIFT is a risk assessment tool that helps project teams identify potential problems before they arise.
This approach is about thinking ahead and anticipating potential issues before they arise, planning for them, and taking action to avoid or minimize them. The tool is particularly useful in fields such as safety and efficiency. SWIFT is often a very useful tool to use in the early defined stages of a project to reduce the risk of project failure or issues preventing progress.
The Structured What-If Technique (SWIFT) is a guided brainstorming session that focuses on safety and risk. For example, a cross-functional team can be discussing the risk to a project, process, or business. i.e., “What if this machine stops suddenly?” etc., thinking of as many scenarios as possible, no matter how unlikely. Then the team should think about how to prevent them or the actions taken to respond if they do happen.
SWIFT was developed in the 1970s, before the technologically advanced and complex systems of today existed. A straightforward method of identifying risks in the workplace was needed. It was developed to be faster and easier than other methods at the time such as HAZOP, which required a lot of time and expert knowledge.
SWIFT is a useful tool that is used as part of risk management. It is most useful in the following situations:
The first step in SWIFT is to assemble a team. Conducting SWIFT on your own is not going to be very effective, as it will only consider one point of view. Whereas, a team will consider multiple points of view.
Depending on the focus of the SWIFT, you may consider including operations staff, safety officers, quality control professionals, and engineers. Make sure you consider the range of stakeholders when running a SWIFT brainstorming session.
Now that you have the team assembled, the next step is to clearly define the scope of the session and ensure the team agrees and understands the scope.
When defining the scope, ensure to be specific, narrow down the focus, and avoid having too many variables. Set boundaries decide what is in and out of scope to keep the session on track and communicate clearly.
Now that you have the scope, you and the team need to create What-if scenarios.
To do this, you should start by being cautious before diving into the more unlikely ones. Encourage the team to be creative, think outside the box, and even consider remote possibilities.
As a facilitator, you should use prompts to help the team think of scenarios. Prompts might include “what if there were changes to the environment”, “equipment malfunctions, “human errors,” and “external factors like power outages.
From the What if questions, you should have a list of “What-ifs” which are the potential risks. The next step is to evaluate them. This can be done with a Risk matrix, placing each scenario on the gird based on the likelihood of its occurrence and potential impact.
Identify which are high risks that need immediate attention and which can be monitored over time.
For each high-priority risk, you’ll need a strategy; again, this can be done with brainstorming solutions as the team discusses how each risk can be prevented.
Assign responsibility for each action to ensure ownership is given.
Example of Action Plan:
| Action | Responsible | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implement Preventive Maintenance | Maintenance Manager | 30 days | Not Started |
| Conduct Staff Training | Training Coordinator | 60 days | Not Started |
| Maintain Spare Parts Inventory | Inventory Manager | 30 days | Not Started |
| Develop Emergency Response Plan | Operations Manager | 40 days | Not Started |
| Perform Upgrade/Replacement Analysis | Finance & Engineering Team | 90 days | Not Started |
Finally, the SWIFT session should be documented. Write down all the risks identified, their rating and mitigation plans. This should be reviewed regularly in future sessions. SWIFT is a living process and not a one time activity so should be reviewed and updated as processess and operation evolve.
In any project’s early stages, anticipating and planning for potential issues are pivotal for success. This is where the Structured What-If Technique (SWIFT) proves invaluable. As a proactive risk management tool, SWIFT enables teams to envision and prepare for possible problems, fostering a proactive rather than reactive approach.
With its roots in the 1970s, SWIFT was designed to be a straightforward and quick method for identifying potential risks without the complexity and time consumption of methods like HAZOP. Ideal during project kick-offs, major changes, routine audits, and post-incident analyses, SWIFT encourages diverse teams to think broadly about risks and craft effective mitigation strategies. By thoroughly documenting and regularly reviewing these strategies, SWIFT remains a dynamic and integral part of ongoing risk management, ensuring processes adapt and resilience is built into every project phase.
Scalability: One of the key strengths of SWIFT is its scalability. The technique can be applied to both simple and complex systems, making it versatile across various industries.
Team Collaboration: SWIFT is often conducted in a workshop setting, encouraging multiple stakeholders to contribute their unique perspectives.
SWIFT can be seamlessly integrated into Lean Six Sigma methodologies, particularly during the Analyze phase of the DMAIC cycle. It helps in identifying the root causes of variability and inefficiencies.
While both SWIFT and FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) serve similar purposes, they differ in approach. FMEA is more detailed and often more time-consuming, making SWIFT a quicker alternative for initial hazard identification.
A: Structured What-If Technique (SWIFT) is a qualitative risk assessment method that aims to identify hazards and evaluate their potential impact. It is often used in industries like manufacturing, logistics, and public sectors to proactively address safety concerns or operational inefficiencies. SWIFT involves brainstorming sessions where a team of experts reviews a process or system to identify potential risks, which are then prioritized based on severity and likelihood.
A: SWIFT is generally quicker and less resource-intensive compared to other methods like Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP). It’s best suited for systems or processes that are not overly complex. While FMEA and HAZOP are more detailed and require extensive data, SWIFT relies on expert judgment to quickly identify and assess risks.
A: SWIFT is most effective during the early stages of a project, or when you need a quick review of existing operations. It’s also beneficial when you’re working with a constrained budget or timeframe. Given its qualitative nature, SWIFT can serve as a preliminary step before more in-depth analyses like FMEA or HAZOP are conducted.
A: The SWIFT process generally involves the following steps:
A: While SWIFT is a valuable tool for quick risk assessment, it has limitations. It is primarily qualitative and relies heavily on the expertise of the team. If the team lacks experience or domain knowledge, the assessment may not be thorough. Additionally, SWIFT is not suitable for very complex systems, where more detailed methods like FMEA or HAZOP would be more appropriate.
Daniel Croft-Bednarski is a Continuous Improvement Manager with a passion for Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement. With years of experience in developing operational excellence, Daniel specializes in simplifying complex concepts and engaging teams to drive impactful changes.