Single+Window+Implementation+Framework+(SWIF)

//The vision and potential benefits of Single Windows (SWs) are often well recognized, but how to formulate and transform these visions into reality is neither trivial nor obvious. There are many challenging issues that need to be managed, both technically and politically. SWIF provides an holistic framework.//

=What is SWIF?= The Single Window Implementation Framework (SWIF) is an architecture-based framework for guiding SW planning and implementation. It adapts the concept of enterprise architecture (*) and development methodology to describe how to systematically derive the SW strategic architecture, formulate its master plan, and manage SW projects.

**Key Concepts and Guidelines within SWIF**
**1. Visions & Goals Alignment** guides the formulation of the aims of SWs, where possible with quantitative indicators, in alignment with national and/or regional policy directions. **2. An evolutionary Single Window roadmap in five maturity levels** is recommended as a long-term SW development roadmap and as a reference model for assessing the current or “As-Is” condition of a country. Then priorities can be set for the next target or “To-Be” SW environment that may be the next phase of implementation. 3**. Decomposition** refers to the systematic decomposition and structure of SW implementation challenges into smaller and more manageable components. Ten critical components are proposed within this framework.

Figure – Decomposition of SW challenges // Source: UNNExT SW project Implementation // **4. Single Window Development Cycle** explains how to analyse the “As-Is” or current conditions of these 10 components and how the “To-Be” or future architectures (again of those 10 components) can be proposed and agreed. **5. Viewpoints** show how to clearly visualize the implementation issues based on the interest of the target audiences (normally with diagrams and associated descriptions). **6. Project Management Process**: all of the above are put into use with a recommended project management process in five practical phases for preliminary and detailed analysis, planning and overseeing the SW projects. // Source: UNNExT SW Project Implementation Guide // ** Tools ** : the __ UNNExT SW Project Implementation Guide __ provides a detailed description of these project phases. __ UNECE Recommendation 33 __ refers to these five practical steps in planning the implementation of a Single Window. The WCO Single Window Compendium also contains relevant guidance.
 * 1. Preliminary/Inception ** phase – developing a concept paper for preliminary and initial discussion
 * 2. Elaboration phase – ** conducting a detailed feasibility study
 * 3. Planning phase – ** formulating a high-level SW master plan
 * 4. Execution phase – ** executing and overseeing the project plan
 * 5. Lessons-learned/Feedback phase – ** collecting lessons learned

Next: Future developments

(*) Adapted from The Open Group Enterprise Architecture Framework TOGAF-9, including its development methodology ADM (Architecture Development Method).