XML: Green Light, Go
By Brian Maschhoff

The drive to create interoperability standards among digital learning products has people singing future praises of Extensible Markup Language. Here's why you should include XML in your e-learning strategy now.

Eventually, all e-learning products will use XML, making developing, delivering, and managing Web-based training easier and faster. In all likelihood, though, HTML (the Web publishing standard) won't be singing its swan song for years to come. So, what does XML mean for training now?

According to David Troug, senior analyst of the e-business infrastructure division of Forrester Research, it means planning ahead so you're not stuck "communicating in a dead language." He says, "As companies move from classroom training to Web-based training, they need to develop content using XML standards or else they're setting themselves up for disaster down the road. XML is the standard for how all computer systems will exchange information in the not-so-distant future."

XML has start-to-finish implications for WBT, including reducing online production time, developing more engaging training content, and integrating systems enterprisewide for easier program administration and management. The ultimate carrot at the end of the XML stick is a reduction in Web publishing costs by as much as 50 percent. Here are the key benefits that are driving XML momentum.

1. It streamlines content development.
What makes XML special is how it tags--or labels--learning objects with precise, customized descriptions, making the content "smarter." HTML is a markup language that tells Web browsers how to present data on Webpages, but XML markup tags tell applications what the content means and how it's organized. This facilitates the separation of content from presentation, enabling course authors to write content instead of just laying out Webpages (see "XML 101"). Using XML-enabled authoring tools, authors can create content according to schemas, which are rules that define what XML tags mean.

2. It helps make learning content more interactive.
Making your content interactive and engaging is one key to effective online learning. XML can simplify the integration of multimedia elements into courseware, making it easier to develop and maintain. Though XML is designed to encapsulate text, using it to store metadata for course multimedia can help streamline--and even automate--conversion into new, emerging formats. Examples of metadata are audioclip transcripts, graphics image sizes, and file names and locations.

XML is the standard for how all computer systems will exchange information in the not-so-distant future.

3. It adds long-term value to learning content.
Developing content is expensive, so it's essential to create it in a format that eases maintenance and reuse. One of the key benefits of Web-based training is that content can, at least in principle, be updated instantaneously. If the content is stored in static HTML pages, however, maintenance costs over time can exceed development costs quickly. Content can also be reformatted and customized easily for different customers without the timely process of recoding data. For example, a course on office ergonomics could be tweaked to address the different needs of deskbound staff and factory-floor production workers.

4. It enhances content delivery.
XML's flexibility and versatility has wide-reaching implications for how online courses will be delivered. Delivering training content in XML will enable e-learners to tailor their experience by choosing the most effective presentation style for their needs. Supplemental information will be included in an accessible, yet unobtrusive way. Unfortunately, most current browsers cannot process XML. To reach the widest audience now, server-side conversion of XML into HTML is the preferred solution.

5. It simplifies training management.
Content is one part of a training management system; you also need to maintain learner personal data and training records, at a minimum. This can be done easily with an integrated database management system, but a Web-based training system usually doesn't exist in a vacuum. For example, companies typically have existing human resource data systems or corporate intranets. You can use XML as a data exchange format to maintain data integrity across an enterprise.

6. It helps maintain training records.
Records management is one of the most costly areas of training, particularly when it comes to tracking course completion for the growing body of compliance training mandated by government agencies, such as OSHA and the Department of Transportation. In some cases, companies are required by law to track training completion records for as long as seven years. Maintaining records in XML is advantageous because of its highly structured nature. XML is designed to be read by people and computers, so training records can be stored in paper and electronic formats for added security.

There's no question that XML is here to stay. According to Michael Goulde, executive vice president and analyst at Patricia Seybold Group, a Boston-based technology research firm, "For the training industry, most content providers are using some form of XML now, or they will be within the next 12 months. By the end of this year, we're going to see companies using XML as a way to integrate multiple data sources, communicate with business partners, build extranets, and make information available over the Web for training and other knowledge management applications."

By incorporating XML technology into your courseware, you can build a strong foundation for robust online learning--now and down the road.

Published: August 2000