  Superconducting gmon qubits allow for highly tuneable quantum computing
devices. Optimally controlled evolution of these systems is of considerable
interest. We determine the optimal dynamical protocols for the generation of
the maximally entangled W state of three qubits from an easily prepared initial
product state. These solutions are found by simulated annealing. Using the
connection to the Pontryagin's minimum principle, we fully characterize the
patterns of these ``bang-bang'' protocols, which shortcut the adiabatic
evolution. The protocols are remarkably robust, facilitating the development of
high-performance three-qubit quantum gates.
