2025 TAM Conference Peer Exchange Agenda
Theme: Communicating Asset Management Information and Outcomes
Monday, August 25, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The 2025 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Transportation Asset Management (TAM) Peer Exchange will explore how effective communication and visualization of asset information can strengthen TAM programs in transportation agencies. As transportation agencies face increasing pressures—from safety goals and efficiency mandates to limited funding and performance requirements—the need to clearly convey asset data to both internal and external stakeholders has never been greater. Good TAM practice requires telling a compelling story with data to justify those decisions and align across the organization.
This year’s peer exchange will focus on sharing innovative practices, tools, and communication strategies that improve transparency, support informed choices, and promote trust. Sessions will feature presentations from practitioners, followed by interactive discussions to exchange experiences and lessons learned. Topics will include the role of graphics and dashboards, data storytelling, the integration of non-TAM specific objectives in asset performance-based frameworks, and the communication of trade-offs and priorities.
The event will conclude with a collaborative dialogue on how to bring all these elements together—highlighting needs for further research, new tools, and organizational strategies to support the TAM community nationwide.
Peer Exchange Purpose
- Advance the state of TAM practice by sharing lessons learned across agencies
- Identify key ingredients for the effective communication of TAM information
- Explore available tools, data strategies, and visualization techniques that support more transparent and objective TAM decision-making
- Envision the future of TAM-informed communications for better agency decision-making
- Provide insights and recommendations to inform future TAM initiatives
Agenda
| Time | Event Details |
|---|---|
| 8:30–9:00 a.m. | Introductions Welcome, Opening Remarks, Participant Introductions
|
| 9:00–9:45 a.m. | How to Effectively Use Graphics to Communicate Asset Information or (Elements of Good Visualizations or Elements of Good Graphic Communications) An invited industry data science speaker will demonstrate good techniques to use when presenting asset management information. This session will explore techniques and best practices for using visuals to communicate transportation asset management data clearly and effectively. An invited communications expert from industry will showcase real-world examples and offer insights into how graphics can enhance understanding, support decision-making, and engage a variety of audiences. Topics may include design principles, storytelling with data, and common pitfalls to avoid when visualizing asset information. |
| 9:45–10:45 a.m. | Sharing Session: Effectively Communicating Asset Inventory and Condition Information This session will feature a series of demonstrations from state departments of transportation (DOTs) and transportation agencies showcasing dashboards, public websites, internal tools, and reports that are helping them communicate asset inventory and condition information effectively. Presenters will highlight how their tools are supporting decision-making, promoting transparency, and engaging various audiences—including leadership, planners, and the public. This is a chance to see what’s working in practice, learn from peer innovations, and discuss the design choices and strategies behind successful communication approaches and techniques. |
| 10:45–11:15 a.m. | Break |
| 11:15–12:15 p.m. | Sharing Session: Communicating Asset Risks This session will spotlight how agencies are effectively communicating risk-related information. Transportation agencies will demonstrate real-world examples that show how they are visualizing and explaining asset-related risks—such as extreme weather vulnerabilities, natural hazards, or deterioration uncertainty—to inform planning, prioritize investments, and support stakeholder understanding. Presenters will share what’s working, how they tailor risk communication for different audiences, and the tools and approaches behind their efforts. |
| 12:15–12:30 p.m. | Morning Wrap-Up Summary of morning discussion, ideas to consider, overview of afternoon agenda |
| 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:30–2:30 p.m. | Effectively Explaining Investment Trade-Offs Transportation agencies are often faced with difficult decisions about where and how to invest limited resources. This session will explore strategies for clearly and credibly communicating investment trade-offs—whether between asset types, geographic areas, performance goals, or policy priorities. The session will feature a facilitated discussion on the visual and narrative techniques that help explain the consequences of different funding scenarios and policy choices. Participants will review examples of dashboards, graphics, and decision-support tools used by agencies to frame trade-offs and build understanding among executives, elected officials, and the public. |
| 2:30–4:00 p.m. | Good Communications Exercise (Small Groups) This interactive session will give participants a chance to practice composing clear, compelling communications using asset management-related data. Each table will receive a brief set of information and be tasked with developing a short presentation that communicates the key message effectively. Groups will create a main message, supporting graphics, and talking points aimed at a target audience (e.g., leadership, the public, or policymakers). After the working period, each group will deliver a 5-minute presentation to the full room. The goal is to spark discussion about what makes communication clear, credible, and persuasive—and to learn from different approaches across groups. Groups will be asked to share what they learned from the exercise and some of the challenges they encountered. |
| 4:00–4:30 p.m. | Peer Exchange Wrap-Up Discussion of key issues and future activities, summary of peer exchange |