To improve access to message content in a message exchange system, a context object is defined for the message as an abstraction of the message content. The context object can be assigned to many different message communication interfaces, thereby allowing context objects to be reused across various interfaces. The context object provides access both to a message payload, and parts of a message other than the payload, such as technical data. Accordingly, access to message content for various tasks and applicability to a number of different message interfaces is improved.