Case-based Reasoning (CBR)

Case-based reasoning, or CBR, is a technique in which an information system solves new problems based on similar past situations. CBR systems have four parts: retrieval, reuse, revise and retain, and generalize/specialize. Retrieval finds the most similar previous case, while reuse applies that case's solution to the current problem. Revise and retain updates data with the new experience gained. Generalizing or specializing one or more cases makes them suitable for reuse when no solved case matches well enough. Generalizing requires adding commonality among multiple cases, while specializing involves removing detail until the new case is similar to a known one.