a method for generating a system and , the system itself , which allows the selective access to and retrieval of data from a number of data resources . the system comprises a host system via which a user can make a request for data , and with reference to the request , the host system selects , using a series of activators held therein , those data resources , referred to as target systems , which are required to be accessed . the interface between the host and target systems and the generation and display of the retrieved data is controlled so as to provide the data to the user in the contextual format .