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. 

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. 

Diary Study: Logging Period

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


University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

A qualitative research method where participants log interactions and information related to a specific context over a period of time. Researchers give participants a device to record their lives related to the studied products. 




Diary/Camera Studies in UX Research

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

5 phases of Diary Studies 

- Give incentives that will ensure that participant stays motivated to continue study; can split over different phases as user reaches next milestone.
- Be upfront and make sure users know the extent of their involvement in this long study.
- Organize the data as it comes in.
- May be helpful to run a pilot study so that you can improve the official, larger study. 

Diary Study Tips

- Habits
- Usage Scenarios
- Attitudes & Motivations
- Changes in Behavior & Perceptions 
- Customer Journey


Diary Studies Insights

- Interviews
- Focus groups 
- Diary studies 
- Field studies 

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