A computer-based method for creating data mining task templates for utilization in data mining activities is described. The method includes defining, via a template editor and an associated user interface, a task template for discovery of common patterns occurring within data mining events, generating a task editor/wizard from the task template, creating example tasks via the task template and task editor/wizard, running at least one of the example tasks, and refining the task template using results returned from execution of the at least one of the example tasks.