Erfaringsbasert

Erfaringsbasert is a Norwegian term used to describe knowledge, approaches, or practices that are grounded in experience. It emphasizes that practical action and judgment are shaped by what practitioners have encountered in real settings, rather than by theory alone.

The term is commonly found in education, professional training, healthcare, and research to signal that learning and decision-making should draw on concrete situations, reflection, and the synthesis of lessons learned from practice. It is closely linked to experiential learning, tacit knowledge, and practitioner expertise. In Norwegian usage, erfaringsbasert learning can be contrasted with purely theoretical or hypothetico-deductive approaches, and it may complement evidensbasert praksis (evidence-based practice) by incorporating user or patient experiences and local context.

Applications include erfaringsbasert læring in classrooms or training programs, erfaringsbasert praksis in professional settings (for example nursing, social work, education), and erfaringsbasert forskning that seeks knowledge derived from practitioners' observations, case studies, and stakeholder input. It also informs design and service development by prioritizing user experiences.

Critics note that erfaringsbasert knowledge can be subjective and context-specific; proponents argue that it provides valuable, actionable insights that generalizable data may miss.

Etymology: erfaring means experience and basert means based.