A Pattern Based Data Mining Approach

Most data mining systems follow a data flow and toolbox paradigm. While this modular approach delivers ultimate flexibility, it gives the user almost no guidance on the issue of choosing an efficient combination of algorithms in the current problem context. In the field of Software Engineering the Pattern Based development process has empirically proven its high potential. Patterns provide a broad and generic framework for the solution process in its entirety and are based on equally broad characteristics of the problem. Details of the individual steps are filled in at later stages. Basic research on pattern based thinking has provided us with a list of generally applicable and proven patterns. User interaction in a pattern based approach to data mining will be divided into two steps: (1) choosing a pattern from a generic list based an a handful of characteristics of the problem and later (2) filling in data mining algorithms for the subtasks.