I'am pretty new to bass fishing and I'am wondering if anyone can share some methods on how to figure out a pattern. Is it just trial and error or is there a technique? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Start with a basic knowledge of LMB behavior, feeding habits, locations etc. for the time of year you are fishing.

Then take a map of the lake and pick some areas, depths, etc where the fish/bait should be for that time of year.

Then start fishing those areas with lures/techniques you have been previously successful with in the same situations.

Eventually, you should be able to 'pattern' the fish by what type of structure they are relating to and at what predominant depth/water temp, and what type of lures/presentations they will react most aggressively towards.

You shoud then be able to run this same pattern in similar areas of the lake that day, perhaps for many days in a row.

Good info from fouzman.
Here is some more useful info to help you get started.
http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/finding-bass-quickly.html
http://www.bassfishin.com/article34.htm

what if you don't have a basic knowledge of LMB behavior, feeding habits, locations etc. for the time of year you are fishing.

:P

Then you should read up on the subject

When you catch a fish make note of where you caught depth, cover, water clarity and after you catch a couple more ask yourself what was the same of those places for example if your fishing boat docks and you caught fish on docks that had brushpiles under them in 8-10 ft of water that was slighlty stained, this would be your pattern. Some patterns are strong some are weak and there can be several differant patterns at any given time.

work the water column top to bottom, or bottom to top. Time on the water is crucial.

Two questions to ask yourself when you catch a fish.
1. Why was that fish right there in that spot?
2. What other spots do I know about with the same conditions?

Just go fishing. If you catch a fish, cover the two questions. By your second or third fish, you can have a pattern.

When i'm pre fishing i put everything in writing. I read up on the lake read on the biting habits for the climate and time of year then find some spots that even on a new lake are familiar to places ive had previous success (sunken logs, drops and ledges or channels, or places where vegitation comes together like a mixture of hydrilla milfoil and lilypads) then i throw things that are always consistent for me like senkos jigs or cranks something im confident with and after i pull one in i record in a notebook the depth color retrieve i was using for future reference