1. A method of referencing message elements in an application message in a messaging environment, the method comprising: establishing a message model on a computer, the message model specifying a message format for interpreting application messages, the message model comprising one or more message element specifications, each message element specification specifying a message element for storing data in the application messages, each message element specification comprising element characteristics; creating, by a messaging module on the computer in dependence upon the message model, a message element designator map, the message element designator map mapping a separate message element designator to each message element specified by the message model; receiving, in the messaging module from a requesting module, a request for an element designator for a specific message element, the specific message element identified in the request by the element characteristics for the specific message element; and providing, by the messaging module to the requesting module, the requested element designator in dependence upon the message element designator map and the element characteristics for the specific message element.