ANNEX 1

Examples of Systems Integration Challenges for Key Sectors

The following examples illustrate complexity and integration challenges for some key sectors. Proposals need not address the totality of such challenges but they should represent a significant sub-set so as to generate meaningful contributions to the overall issues involved.

Automotive. Compressed time-scale design and manufacture of a globally marketed vehicle using a geographically dispersed engineering team, global manufacturing facilities and a world-wide supply base that makes a critical contribution to technology, product sub-system and manufacturing process.

Aerospace and Defence. The design and manufacture of a multi-customer military aircraft with multi-national design teams, design sub-contracts placed globally and a world-wide supply base that provides major, critical product sub-systems with complex interoperability requirements.

Retail and Distribution. The design, integration and operation of a data warehouse for a global enterprise that provides a repository of readily accessible, product & operational information for the corporation, the supply chain, the distribution channels and the customers

Healthcare. The design and operation of a healthcare management system which integrates non-localised, globally distributed, health-care monitoring and delivery to a globally mobile population, including clinical treatment, with patient record maintenance and statistical analysis, pharmaceutical supply and efficacy monitoring, and private and state healthcare insurance.

Transport. The design and operation of a motorway road pricing system for deployment on all UK motorways including smart-card vehicle identification, completely automated toll collection, dynamic pricing to influence demand and integration with vehicle registration systems, road maintenance systems and local authority road management systems.

Pharmaceutical R&D. The development of an integrated framework for the design and operation of R&D processes in the pharmaceutical industry by mobilising global capabilities, capitalising on proven engineering and information technologies, and building relationships with SME’s in niche areas and specialist local support.

This is a limited list and is not intended to be complete. Many other businesses are experiencing similar challenges in their own sectors. For example; telecommunications moving to integrated mobile services (phone, e-mail, internet); increasing demands on mission critical systems such as air traffic control, emergency services control and disaster management; the move to digital broadcasting for radio, TV, movie-on-demand and shopping; operations scheduling integration for airline, train and coach; banking and finance products available through new outlets such as supermarkets.


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