8:00 am - 9:00 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Welcome
Set the stage for two days of learning by exploring the critical importance of vision and planning in system modernization. This session will cover why DMVs modernize, common pitfalls, and the roadmap to success.
9:30 am - 10:30 am
Shift Happens: Building a Continuous Modernization Culture
System modernization isn't a destination—it's a journey. Yet many organizations still treat technology updates as one-time projects with finish lines, only to find themselves facing another crisis years later when their "modern" system becomes obsolete. This session challenges conventional thinking and equips you with the tools to fundamentally shift how your organization approaches technology investment and maintenance. Learn how to build the business case that not only secures initial funding but establishes system modernization as an ongoing organizational priority.
10:30 am - 10:45 am
Break
10:45 am - 11:45 am
Fork in the Road: Navigating the Build vs. Buy Decision
Discuss the pros and cons of building a system internally versus selecting a vendor solution. Explore decision-making frameworks. Examine critical factors including total cost of ownership, staff capacity and expertise, timeline constraints, and long-term flexibility.
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Lunch
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm
The Launch Pad: Building Organizational Muscle Before Modernization
System modernization success begins long before contracts are signed or code is written. This session focuses on the critical but often overlooked work of preparing your internal processes, procedures, and organizational capacity for the multi-year journey ahead. Let’s explore why workflow engineering, procedure sophistication, legal requirements for processes, and overall refinement can mean the difference between a smooth implementation and a costly struggle. Too often, modernization projects stall while organizations discover that their existing processes, data quality issues, and organizational gaps create obstacles that delay timelines, inflate budgets, and compromise outcomes. Readiness to understand why previous processes were developed.
1:45 pm -2:30 pm
Governance That Works: Keeping Your Project on Track
Strong governance isn't bureaucracy—it's the foundation for partnership and shared success in system modernization. Without clear structures, decision-making authority, and contractually mutual accountability mechanisms, even the most collaborative teams can struggle with misalignment, scope confusion, or missed opportunities. This collaborative session brings together jurisdictions and vendors to explore governance frameworks that work for everyone, creating the clarity and trust needed for complex, multi-year modernization initiatives to succeed.
2:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Break
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Modernization and AAMVA Systems: Integration, Testing, and Compliance
Explore key modernization considerations including data model separation, system resiliency, transaction verification, and testing protocols to ensure your modernized applications integrate effectively with AAMVA's ecosystem. You will hear from AAMVA staff who work directly with jurisdictions to allow them to see and hear from the folks who do the work.
3:45 pm - 4:30 pm
Building for Tomorrow's DMV Today
The question isn't whether your systems can handle today's workload—it's whether your modernization approach is flexible enough to adapt to tomorrow's realities. This forward-focused session explores how DMVs can build system modernization strategies that anticipate and accommodate future complexity rather than simply solving for today.
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Wrap Up
Day 1 Wrap-Up, Open discussion, reflections on Day 1, and preview of Day 2 topics.