Managers to take lessons in data exchange

The one-day course will start this month and run throughout the summer. It will be available internally for companies, or as an open course for individuals. A price for the course isn't fixed as yet, but discounts will be available for CITE members. Major contractors, consultants and local authorities have so far expressed an interest in the course.

Tim Cole, community manager at CITE, said that XML was one of the most pressing e-business questions for the construction industry.

"People are aware of XML, but they want to know how to get value out of it. It raises a lot of questions about how a standardised approach to exchanging information can affect companies at a commercial level." There will be two separate courses available. Level one will be an introduction to using XML in business, and no technical knowledge is required to take this course. It covers demystifying XML, an appreciation of XML in business processes, identifying opportunities for XML in your organisation and a basic understanding of the CITE XML toolkit.

Level two is more advanced, for those with technical knowledge who will be using XML on a daily basis. It will cover: raising the level of understanding of XML; a hands-on appreciation of how XML works; an overview of XML; and getting the most out of the CITE XML toolkit.