Define the goal of the study and what behaviors of users you need to understand. Also define the timeline and how you want to collect participant data. 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

- Preparation
- Pre-study brief
- Logging period 
- Post-study Interview
- Data analysis 


5 phases of Diary Studies 

Salazar, K. (2016, June 5). Diary Studies: Understanding Long-Term User Behavior and Experiences. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/diary-studies/

Diary Studies: Understanding Long-Term User Behavior and Experiences

Diary Study: Preparation

Schedule a meeting with participant to go over the study and to familiarize them with the tool you selected as the means for their data entry. 

Diary Study: Pre-study brief

After reviewing participants logs, meet with them to go over any missing details and to ask follow-up questions. Also ask participant to give feedback on their logging experience to help improve the design of future diary studies.

Diary Study : Post-study Interview

Refer back to original research questions that were stated in the Preparation phase, and look for meaningful insights. Also, compare the behaviors you expected or where looking for to the behaviors you saw during the logging period. 

Diary Study: Data Analysis

Participant is actively inputing data about their relevant experience or activity. 

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