The California DMV wanted to modernize their driver knowledge testing process and evolve from paper-based testing to a “touch-screen” computer-based testing system. It was a multi-year effort to develop and implement the solution in throughout the state.
Key Deliverables
- Requirements Engineering
- Application Development
- Application Architecture
- Integration with L1 Identity Management Systems
- Integration with IBM Tivoli Identity Management
Scope
The California DMV is a large organization with 160 plus field offices across the state. Up until summer of 2012, all of these field offices utilized the paper-based testing system which meant a lot of paper wastage and risk of fraudulent activities. The DMV took a large multi-year project to convert this into a fully computer-based testing system which would generate randomized test questions and store/track all tests and results electronically. The system was called Automated Knowledge Testing (AKT).
This scope included building modules for test maintenance, test administration and test taking. The system needed to have a way for DMV to maintain separate questions in the database that can be tracked over time and their validity can be determined based on the public’s response to them. DMV is a full IBM Java stack infrastructure organization and hence, the natural choice for development was Java/J2EE on their existing DB2 database system.
Execution
Through a rigorous bidding process, Touchpoints was selected to develop the pilot system in 2011. This system would serve as a proof-of-concept and would be implemented in the Stockton field office for a pilot of 1 year. This system had to be built from the ground up and delivered within a year’s timeframe.
Sensing the criticality of the project, Touchpoints quickly put their “A-Team” on the job. We worked extensively with the DMV SME’s to validate and prioritize all requirements. Prioritization of requirements ensured that we delivered the most critical requirements in the first phase of implementation and then built other lower priority features on top of that.Using this strategy, we developed a staggered approach and schedule which would have enabled DMV to implement a pilot before the fall of 2011. Touchpoints executed this approach and was able to implement the pilot in August of 2012.
This application won the award for “Best of California” for the application serving the public in 2013 by GovTech magazine.
Building on top of this highly successful pilot, Touchpoints enhanced and implemented the AKT system in all of California’s field offices by the fall of 2014. Post this implementation, the Touchpoints team enhanced the application to integrate with fingerprinting identification offered by L1 Identity Systems and added the capability to conduct tests in 32 languages.
Currently, the system is live and running and executing upwards of 5000 tests per day. It has drastically reduced the paper use, and fraudulent activities.