More efficient development of new features and capabilities. Benefits were seen almost immediately during the learning process. During the first three months the staff were able to see how XML would directly benefit their future work. For example, a separate file of interactive tools was integrated into the Gateways Guide using established style sheets taken from existing components of CTG’s Web site. The new technology saved considerable amounts of time. This particular task required only four hours of work instead of the estimated 16 hours it would have taken using HTML.

More efficient content management. In HTML, the content of the page is tied to the format, which makes it difficult (if not impossible) to separate ongoing development and maintenance functions from content revisions. In order to update the content of a page, some knowledge of HTML is required. XML operates differently, separating "content" from "presentation" or "style." Since the content and style are not tied together, the ongoing development and maintenance functions are separable— allowing for division of labor or specialization. Content "owners" or "creators" work only with content while Web designers work with Web coding.

In XML, content changes can be managed by the content creator alone. Changes made to the XML source file will appear in all formats such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, text-only, and PDF. Under HTML changing one word of content typically requires changing that word in all formats. In comparison, XML saves considerable time and ensures consistency throughout the site. More importantly it allows for greater flexibility in managing content. Since changes are more easily made, it is more likely that the information will be updated and changed as needed.

When XML is used, the Web site can be managed quite differently from HTML- based methods. Work in XML and Cocoon played to the strengths of the staff members by allowing different components of the Web site (content, logic, presentation) and their related tasks to be kept separate. Individual staff members can concentrate on work at which they are more proficient. Dividing the labor saves time and allows staff members to become "experts" in specific tasks. In an HTML environment, all three components—content, logic, and presentation—are all combined in the individual Web pages. Anyone working on the page must understand and deal with the components together. Small changes in content could require extensive work with logic and presentation factors and involve much more interaction and coordination among content creators and HTML workers. In the XML environment, content revisions and expansion is separate from the other components, which can be manipulated largely independently. Content changes require very little coding or programming resources, and changing or developing new programming capabilities is not constrained by potential impacts on content.

Less maintenance effort. Current Web sites based on HTML use the Web page as the unit of composition; so a 50 page site can be thought of as having 50 separate units of work. These static Web pages combine both content and formatting. As a result, changes in one page have virtually no effect on the others. For a single Web page or a Web site with few pages or minimal updates, working on individual pages may be relatively simple and affordable. However, as the size and complexity of a site increases, the cost of ongoing development and maintenance increases dramatically. It thus becomes increasingly difficult to keep the site consistent and up to date. In addition, some functions, such as forms or databases, are difficult or impossible to do on static sites.

In XML, code and content are easier to maintain since code and content are stored in separate sources. XML allows for the streamlining of ongoing development and maintenance functions because content is stored in one place but propagated in many places. Because of this architecture there are fewer files to maintain (a 50-page site may contain only one content file and 3–5 style files). Less time is required to maintain the fewer files. One of the benefits of employing this new approach, despite the time and resources spent on the learning process, comes from the potential "payback" in greater functionality, easier maintenance, and reduced ongoing costs.

Greater browser support. In XML, Web design is independent of browser capabilities. Changes made to an XML source file will appear in all formats such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, text-only, and PDF. Under HTML changing one word of content would require changing that word in all formats. XML saves considerable amounts of time. More importantly it allows for greater flexibility in managing content. This lowers the cost of adjusting formats for presentation in different browsers. It is difficult and time consuming to craft HTML documents to work consistently in all browsers, since each browser interprets HTML standards differently. However, when a page is created in XML using the Cocoon framework, it can easily be made viewable in all browsers. Staff no longer devote time testing to ensure a page is viewable in all browsers, since the inclusion of an XML browser parameter automatically adjusts formatting.

Greater platform support. XML standard- izes and universalizes "content" or "data" across platforms. Currently, a majority of Web pages are mainly constructed using HTML. The "content" is tied to the HTML format. The page works on a Web browser, but may not work on other platforms such as wireless devices, cell phones, and PDAs. XML offers greater delivery functionality across a variety of platforms. It allows the Center’s staff and customers the flexibility of viewing pages of the Web site on any Web server architecture.

More efficient management of style and presentation. Style and presentation of the Web site are more efficiently managed with XML than with HTML for many of the reasons discussed above. Since the page itself is not the unit of composition, it is easier to maintain consistency throughout the site. Banners and footers, for example, are maintained as single files and can be imported to all style sheets. The separation of "content" from "presentation" allows for division of labor. Since Web design is independent of browser capabilities, Web pages are viewable in all formats.