It is undoubtedly important to be able to ensure the existence of a common quadratic Lyapunov function (CQLF) for a given switched system because this is proof of its asymptotic stability, but equally important is the ability to calculate it in order to obtain more specific information about the behaviour of the switched system under analysis. This article describes the development of a new methodology for calculating a CQLF based on particle swarm optimisation (PSO) once the existence of a CQLF has been assured. Several comparative analyses are presented to show the strengths and advantages of the proposed methodology.