A system and method for processing data by accessing data sets for a plurality of variables in at least one data store; associating a plurality of the data sets as at least one variable type; storing in a data store a plurality of operation definitions defining a plurality of operations on at least one of said at least one variable type; receiving from a user interface a selection of at least one operation definition and at least one data set of said at least one variable type operated on by the selected at least one operation definition; and processing the at least one data set in response to the selection according to the at least one operation definition to generate a derived data set.