On Feb. 17, the State of Oklahoma successfully launched BOOST (Bringing Our Operations and Services Together), a statewide modernization of driver’s license and motor vehicle services. While Oklahomans are now experiencing the resulting Navigate platform, faster in-person service and redesigned state IDs, these improvements are the outcome of a massive undertaking that has been in development since 2023.

Project BOOST was not a mere software upgrade. It replaced the entire technology and operating environment supporting Oklahoma’s motorist and credentialing services through a collaboration between Service Oklahoma (SOK), the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), and multiple vendor partners. While many states modernize these environments in phases, maintaining parallel legacy systems for years, Oklahoma chose a full end-to-end replacement in one coordinated launch. This all-at-once approach was a strategic choice to minimize technical debt and avoid multiyear overlap between old and new systems. While it introduced significant complexity, it accelerated project success and removed the long-term burden of maintaining dual infrastructures.

"By replacing the entire ecosystem at once rather than in phases, we eliminated years of technical debt and provided Oklahomans with a modern, secure platform they can trust,” said Dan Cronin, state chief information officer. “This is a benchmark for how we deliver digital transformation at scale.”

BOOST by the numbers:

• 1,500+ new hardware environments deployed across all 77 Oklahoma counties.
• 129 million total records converted during the transition.
• 18 months dedicated to cleansing data, standardizing formats and remediating inconsistencies.
• 270 customer-facing locations converted simultaneously.
• 38,196 total transactions processed on the first full day of operations.
• 50% reduction in standard driver service transactions times.

Modernizing the ecosystem: Architectural consolidation

Beyond the public-facing service layer, the deeper value of BOOST lies in its architectural consolidation. True to its name, the project unified formerly separate driver’s license and motor vehicle services into a single integrated system supporting online transactions, in-person delivery and verification workflows through one common operating model.

This approach addressed a longstanding public-sector technology challenge: fragmented systems that accumulate manual workarounds and operational friction over time. BOOST tackled that directly by consolidating the broader environment instead of layering new experiences over old constraints.

The scope of this vision was realized through several key objectives:

• System of record: Replace Oklahoma’s driver’s license and motor vehicle system of record.
• Credentialing: Launch a brand-new physical credential.
• Infrastructure overhaul: Replace more than 1,500 hardware environments across 270 locations.
• Unified digital access: Introduce a new online service platform and integrated cashiering capability.
• Verification integrity: Implement multiple critical data verification integrations.
• Security: Strengthen cybersecurity protections for customers, employees and partners.
• Citizen experience: Reduce wait times and simplify access to services.

Data integrity and security by design

In identity-sensitive environments, data quality and security directly affect public trust. BOOST prioritized both data conversion and cyber resilience as foundations for success.

Teams converted a total of 129 million records and spent 18 months cleansing data – standardizing historical formats, remediating inconsistencies and performing parallel environment verifications – to ensure the completeness, consistency and accuracy of all driver and motor vehicle data on Day One.

Security was treated as a design principle extending beyond just a perimeter defense. The system architecture incorporates standardized device security across all locations, single sign-on capabilities and strict role-based access controls to protect infrastructure and limit risk. Even the new Oklahoma driver’s license and ID card has upgraded security – produced using 100% polycarbonate to strengthen durability, it incorporates laser-engraved portraits, ultraviolet and microprinting features, and angle-shifting visual security elements to reduce fraud risk and safeguard identities.

The physical backbone: Statewide hardware deployment

To overhaul infrastructure, all 31 SOK locations, 236 licensed operator sites (formerly tag agents) and a few additional issuing hubs received a complete hardware refresh. This included monitors and micro-form PCs, customer-facing tablets, scanners and printers, tap-to-pay credit card readers, and secure credentialing cameras for photo capture, all designed to facilitate a more efficient and effective service experience.

Executing a technology conversion of this scale required a strategic approach to field logistics. Beyond deploying the new equipment – totaling more than 1,500 environments across all 77 counties – the team managed a multifaceted rollout that prioritized operational continuity. This logistical framework included:

• Scheduling deliveries without disrupting private business operations.
• Coordinating the removal and return of legacy hardware.
• Installing and staging new equipment.
• Ensuring testing readiness prior to go-live.

Success framework: Build, test, train, then launch

One of the strongest lessons from BOOST is that operational readiness must equal technical readiness. After extensive planning to define requirements, design system architecture and build workflows, the project followed a disciplined sequence that prioritized the human element of the transition:

• August 2025: Build complete – core development finalized.
• September through November 2025: Test thoroughly – three months of rigorous platform testing and data verification.
• December 2025 through February 2026: Train extensively – three months dedicated exclusively to staff proficiency and operational readiness.

Leading up to the launch, the focus shifted from fixing code to preparing people. Those final three months weren’t spent extending scope or chasing late-stage build issues; they were spent helping the organization absorb the change. This approach resulted in higher user confidence and faster adoption curves across the state’s service network.

"Our focus was not just on the code, but on the people in the field,” said Isaac George, chief technology officer at Service Oklahoma. “By dedicating the final three months of the project to training and testing, we ensured that our staff and licensed operators felt confident from the moment the system went live. That discipline allowed us to hit the ground running with zero downtime for customers."

Execution and measurable impact

Project BOOST culminated in a meticulously coordinated cutover during Presidents Day weekend, a strategic decision to reduce downtime during the transition. Online services went offline on Feb. 11. The next day, all 270 locations closed for conversion, which was completed ahead of schedule with minimal issues. On the first day of business, the system processed nearly 40,000 transactions, a strong indication that the technical system and field operations reached production readiness simultaneously.

To minimize service disruptions from inevitable post-launch issues, Oklahoma implemented a robust stabilization plan:

• Hardware runners: Dedicated teams traveled across the state to provide immediate relief for field sites with faulty devices.
• Triage hubs: Multiple triage hubs allowed state and licensed operator staff to connect directly to resolve technical and procedural challenges quickly.

The most significant impact has been a 50% reduction in transaction times. Standard driver service transactions, which historically averaged 20 minutes, are now consistently completed in under 10 minutes. This doubling of processing capacity has already translated into shorter wait times and a significantly improved citizen experience across the state.

“This launch is a testament to the commitment of our SOK team, the partner vendors and OMES technical resources, who ensured a seamless transition across 270 locations," said Jay Doyle, chief executive officer at SOK. "The focus and discipline of this partnership have allowed us to deliver faster, simpler and more secure services to Oklahomans."

The Oklahoma model: A benchmark for large-scale modernization

Project BOOST serves as a definitive case study in managing large-scale digital transformation without the technical debt of a multiyear phased rollout. Retrospectively, teams involved have viewed this as the smoothest rollout of a system of this size in their experience. By choosing a single, coordinated cutover, Oklahoma bypassed the traditional pitfalls of maintaining redundant systems, instead focusing resources on a high-integrity data migration and rigorous organizational readiness.

The success of the project was ultimately defined by three core themes:

• Architectural unity: Moving from fragmented silos to a consolidated system of record.
• Disciplined readiness: Prioritizing staff proficiency and data cleansing as heavily as the code itself.
• Operational empathy: Recognizing that a go-live event is only as successful as the support structure waiting for the users on Day One.

This was not simply a system deployment; it was a coordinated enterprise transformation executed in partnership across agencies to pioneer a new era of state infrastructure. By aligning technical delivery with operational reality, this project has established a new national standard for how integrated government services can – and should – function.

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The teams behind BOOST

This transformation was delivered through deep cross-functional collaboration between Service Oklahoma (SOK), the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), and vendor partners FAST Enterprises and Thales Group.

SOK leadership team

• Jay Doyle, chief executive officer.
• Diedra O’Neil, chief executive of strategy and operations.
• Caitlin Owen, chief development and support officer/lead project manager.
• Emily Hill, chief of staff.
• April Kelso, general counsel.
• Isaac George, chief technology officer.

SOK core technical delivery team

• Application development and technical project management: Jeremy Mathis.
• Application development: Nicholas Deckard, Terry Sherman and Matthew Schieve.
• Data analyst: Siri Devrapalli.
• Business analysis and scrum master: Tyler McNeely.
• Systems analysis: Sarah Forman and Matt Ross.
• Quality assurance: Jacob Roby and Nick Huckleberry.
• Licensed operator support: Terri Applegate, Matt Jones and Justin Ahhaitty.
• On-premise end user support: Justin John and Daniel (Vincent) Morgan.

OMES enterprise shared services teams

• Enterprise technology and infrastructure:
  • Data, Server and Network teams.
  • Mobile Device Management.
  • Hosted Technology team.
  • Legacy & SaaS Services.
• Security, identity and risk:
  • Security team.
  • Identity and Access Management.
  • Risk Management.
  • IT Operations Command Center.
• Operations, governance and business:
  • Service Desk.
  • End User Support.
  • Customer Success.
  • Architecture and Enterprise Governance.
  • Change Management.
  • Business Relationship Orchestration.
  • Business Administration and Budget.
  • General Counsel.
• Vendor partners
  • Build partner: FAST Enterprises.
  • Physical credential redesign and printing: Thales Group.
  • Hardware deployment: Presidio.
  • Project consultation: Alvarez & Marsal.

Christa Helfrey
christa.helfrey@omes.ok.gov