Executive Technical Debt Workshop: Houston, TX
August 25, 2026 | Houston, TX
CODE’s Executive Technical Debt Workshop is an invitation-only working session designed for CIOs, CTOs, IT Directors, Enterprise Architects, and Engineering Leaders. Rather than a traditional presentation, this interactive workshop gives attendees an inside look at how AI-assisted analysis, knowledge management, and modernization planning can be applied to real-world enterprise systems. Participants leave with practical and actionable ideas they can apply within their own organizations immediately. Hosted at CODE Office in Houston. Invite-only (free), complimentary catered breakfast and lunch.
Click Here To Request Your Free Invitation
Space is limited. Request your invite today.
Most organizations rely on business-critical applications that were built years, and often decades, ago. These systems continue to power the business, but they also carry technical debt, aging architectures, undocumented processes, hidden dependencies, and institutional knowledge held by only a handful of employees.
While many organizations recognize the need to modernize, determining where to begin can be overwhelming. For mission-critical systems that support daily operations, every modernization decision carries potential business risk, making it difficult to identify the right priorities, sequence initiatives, and move forward with confidence.
The Executive Technical Debt Workshop was created to solve that problem.
Using AI-assisted application inventory, structured discovery, and executive intelligence, you'll see how organizations are transforming complex enterprise applications into well-understood strategic assets. Instead of relying on assumptions or fragmented documentation, you'll learn how leading organizations are using evidence-based insights to reduce modernization risk, preserve institutional knowledge, and build practical roadmaps for long-term transformation.
Why Attend?
Throughout the day, you'll learn how leading organizations are using AI-assisted discovery to better understand their application portfolios, reduce modernization risk, and confidently prioritize technology investments through live demonstrations, executive discussions, customer success stories, and interactive workshops.
You'll learn how to:
- Identify technical debt and modernization priorities based on business impact.
- Uncover hidden dependencies, documentation gaps, and knowledge risk.
- Assess application portfolios for modernization and AI readiness.
- Build executive scorecards that measure engineering health and modernization progress.
- Develop practical modernization roadmaps backed by technical and business evidence.
Event Format
The Executive Technical Debt Workshop is a highly interactive, invitation-only workshop designed for executive technology leaders. Rather than sitting through a full day of presentations, attendees participate in a mix of executive briefings, live demonstrations, collaborative working sessions, peer discussions, and customer case studies.
Throughout the day, you'll have opportunities to engage directly with CODE experts and fellow technology leaders, compare modernization challenges, and discuss practical strategies that can be applied within your own organization.
Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments are provided.
Space Is Limited
This in-person event is not recorded.
Limited capacity, invitation-only – reserve your seat early.
AGENDA
| Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | ||
| 8:30AM | Sign-In, Breakfast & Networking | |
| 9:00AM | Opening & Speaker Introduction | Laurabeth Barker |
| 9:15AM | The State of Modernization: Navigating Technical Debt, AI, and Organizational ChangeKEYNOTE | Otto Dobretsberger |
| 9:45AM | Executive Modernization Benchmark: How Your Organization Compares to Industry PeersKEYNOTE | Otto Dobretsberger |
| 10:15AM | Refreshment Break & Networking | |
| 10:30AM | Modernization MRI™ Live AssessmentBREAKOUT | Mike Yeager |
| 11:15AM | Executive Tech Debt WorkshopWORKSHOP | Mike YeagerOtto Dobretsberger |
| 12:00PM | Catered Lunch & Networking | |
| 1:00PM | Technical Debt Success StoriesBREAKOUT | Mike Yeager |
| 1:45PM | Refreshment Break & Networking | |
| 2:00PM | What Every Executive Should MeasureBREAKOUT | Otto Dobretsberger |
| 2:30PM | Building a Sustainable Modernization PracticeBREAKOUT | Mike Yeager |
| 3:00PM | Refreshment Break & Networking | |
| 3:15PM | Executive Panel & Open DiscussionPANEL | Laurabeth BarkerMike YeagerOtto Dobretsberger |
| 3:45PM | Closing Remarks & Next StepsBREAKOUT | Laurabeth Barker |
| Tuesday, August 25, 2026 |
| 8:30AM Sign-In, Breakfast & Networking |
| 9:00AM Opening & Speaker Introduction Laurabeth Barker |
| 9:15AMKEYNOTE The State of Modernization: Navigating Technical Debt, AI, and Organizational Change Otto Dobretsberger |
| 9:45AMKEYNOTE Executive Modernization Benchmark: How Your Organization Compares to Industry Peers Otto Dobretsberger |
| 10:15AM Refreshment Break & Networking |
| 10:30AMBREAKOUT Modernization MRI™ Live Assessment Mike Yeager |
| 11:15AMWORKSHOP Executive Tech Debt Workshop Mike YeagerOtto Dobretsberger |
| 12:00PM Catered Lunch & Networking |
| 1:00PMBREAKOUT Technical Debt Success Stories Mike Yeager |
| 1:45PM Refreshment Break & Networking |
| 2:00PMBREAKOUT What Every Executive Should Measure Otto Dobretsberger |
| 2:30PMBREAKOUT Building a Sustainable Modernization Practice Mike Yeager |
| 3:00PM Refreshment Break & Networking |
| 3:15PMPANEL Executive Panel & Open Discussion Laurabeth BarkerMike YeagerOtto Dobretsberger |
| 3:45PMBREAKOUT Closing Remarks & Next Steps Laurabeth Barker |
SESSION DETAILS
Opening & Speaker Introduction
Opening remarks. Comments about how the day will run. Introduce today's speakers.
The State of Modernization: Navigating Technical Debt, AI, and Organizational Change
Review current industry trends surrounding legacy systems, technical debt, institutional knowledge loss, AI adoption, and engineering sustainability. Learn why leading organizations are changing the way they evaluate and prioritize modernization initiatives.
Executive Modernization Benchmark: How Your Organization Compares to Industry Peers
Explore findings gathered from attendee questionnaires and participate in a facilitated discussion around shared modernization challenges, organizational priorities, and common obstacles facing enterprise technology leaders.
Modernization MRI™ Live Assessment
Experience a live demonstration of CODE's Modernization MRI™ using Lore to inventory applications, analyze architecture, recover institutional knowledge, identify technical debt, and generate executive modernization insights.
Executive Tech Debt Workshop
Participate in small-group discussions using realistic modernization scenarios to prioritize technical debt, evaluate business impact, and practice executive decision-making using structured modernization frameworks.
Technical Debt Success Stories
Hear real customer modernization stories highlighting practical approaches, measurable outcomes, lessons learned, and strategies that delivered long-term value.
What Every Executive Should Measure
Learn how executive scorecards help leadership teams monitor modernization initiatives, prioritize investments, reduce organizational risk, and communicate progress across the business.
Building a Sustainable Modernization Practice
Walk through CODE's Discover → Blueprint → Blueprint + Modernization Enablement → Partner framework and see how Lore supports organizations throughout every stage of the modernization journey.
Executive Panel & Open Discussion
Join an interactive panel discussion covering real-world modernization experiences followed by an open Q&A where attendees can ask questions and share perspectives.
VENUE
CODE Headquarters
6605 Cypresswood Dr. Suite 425 Houston, TX, 77379
