A$\mathrm{.}1$ Introduction

To provide a meaningful, ongoing project example for Systems Analysis and Design in an Age of Options, we have created a fictional company, I$2$C$2.$ I$2$C$2$ has two quite different business ventures, each requiring support via distinct software projects:

$$ Embedded clinics and pharmacies $($ECP$)$: Described in some detail in the first major section, ECP includes a relatively large, mature set of business services and associated application systems. Opportunities for improvement in these systems will be seen as most compatible with a hybrid construction approach, including big requirements up front $($BRUF$).$

$$ Medical and war$-$risk evacuation $($MWRE$)$: This is a new business venture that I$2$C$2$ is piloting and wants to grow and mature, including the creation of new application systems to support the venture. Given the fundamentally new, unclear, and rapidly evolving requirements of this initiative, this project will be seen to be compatible with an approach that is more agile than the ECP project, albeit still with some up$-$front requirements. It also benefits from needing to integrate with existing I$2$C$2$ ECP systems.

These examples are intended to present problem domains that are generally familiar to college students. But they are also designed to provide an underlying level of complexity, intellectual challenge, and variety.

A$\mathrm{.}2$ I$2$C$2$ Current Business: Embedded Clinics and Pharmacies $($ECP$)$

A$\mathrm{.}2\mathrm{.}1$ I$2$C$2$ ECP Origins and Status

Intercontinental Internal Company Clinics Inc.$$doing business as I$2$C$2$is a firm specializing in providing health care services to the employees of multinational corporation clients in developing and newly industrialized countries, where it may be difficult or especially time$-$consuming for many employees to access to health care services in regular clinics or hospitals. Depending on the country and the corporate client$$s specific location$($s$)$ in that country, employees $($and$,$ in some cases, their dependents, such as spouses and children$)$ may experience difficulties in accessing health care for a number of reasons, including:

$$ Remote locations: Employees in remote locations$$for example, those working in rural areas in agriculture or natural resource extraction$$may simply live and work far away from modern health care facilities.

$$ Underdeveloped national health systems: In some of the least developed countries, modern, comprehensive health care services are simply not consistently available, even in urban areas.

$$ Inadequate transportation infrastructure: In some large urban areas, modern health care services may be available, but rapid urban growth coupled with inadequate transportation infrastructure may lead employees to spend inordinate amounts of time traveling to and from regular clinics $($or$,$ in some cases, simply choose to go without needed care$).$

Each of these circumstances can lead to increased rates of absenteeism$,$ lower productivity, and increased rates of disability, as employees facing these health care access challenges may fail to receive timely:

$$ Treatment of acute or chronic health problems: Properly and timely treated

$$ Preventive care: Including health screenings and routine lab work

To specifically address this problem for its clients, I$2$C$2$ specializes in locating clinics$$including doctors, nurses, and pharmacies$$directly on the premises of the facilities of its clients in these countries. Founded more than twenty years ago by Jamie Franklin, MD$,$ I$2$C$2$ was created when Dr$.$ Franklin was visiting with an old friend, Val McKinnon, who was Senior VP of Human Resources for PanOmni, a large multinational energy company with numerous facilities in developing and newly industrialized countries. Val recounted the frustrations of trying to address these problems. It occurred to Jamie that a possible solution would be to create and implement clinics and pharmacies on$-$site, directly within PanOmni$$s facilities.

They agreed to pilot the project in one of Val$$s facilities located in a newly industrialized country, and Jamie formed I$2$C$2$s embedded clinics and pharmacies $($ECP$)$ for the express purpose of supporting the initiative. After forming the clinic and running it for a year, the outcome was judged to be a resounding success. Employee absenteeism had fallen, productivity had risen, and there were even indications that the overall health status of employees had improved and health spending increases were leveling off.

With that, Val asked Jamie to rapidly expand the program to more PanOmni facilities and countries around the world. Jamie realized that a major opportunity existed in supporting PanOmni, but potentially also in supporting many other corporate clients, as well. At the same time, Jamie knew that this would be a major operational and information systems undertaking, requiring senior leadership staff in many roles, including finance, marketing, operations, and, of course, information systems.