This document provides an overview of diary studies as a method for studying people in their natural environments. It explains that diary studies yield more objective and generalizable data than many workplace methods as they are less intrusive. The document then outlines how diary studies typically work, including meeting with participants, informing them of what to do, conducting daily interviews, concluding when enough data is collected, and repeating the process with other participants. It provides tips for having a clear focus, selecting and recruiting participants, creating fieldwork materials, planning and executing interviews, looking for patterns and insights, and summarizing findings to make them useful. The document recommends diary studies last less than two weeks or involve less than five interview hours per participant and stresses the importance of

1. The Goodness of Diary Studies Boon Chew

2. Me

3. I do web (thanks, Francis)

4. UCLIC

5. I work here

6. What are Diary Studies? And, why?

7. A method for studying people in their own environments “... the diary study... is intended for use in the workplace, but... yields data that are more objective and more generalizable than many workplace-oriented methods.” (Rieman, 1993)

8. Less Intrusive

9. Quality data

10. Flexible

11. How to do a Diary Study

12. How It (Usually) Works 1. Meet Participant 2. Inform P What to Do 3. Interview P at Daily(ish) Intervals 4. Conclude When there’s Enough Data 5. Rinse and Repeat with Other Ps

13. Have a Focus

14. Select and Recruit your Participants

15. Create a “Fieldwork Pack”

16. Plan and Execute your Interviews

17. Look for Patterns and Insights

18. Summarize and Make Useful

19. And That’s How You Do Diary Studies!

20. Final Tips

21. < 2 Weeks or < 5 interview hours per participant

22. Take really good notes

23. And, Always ask WHY

24. Q’s?

25. All images licensed under creative commons, by these generous members on Flickr: incurable_hippie . Grufnik . Francis Storr clevercupcakes . ][No Ambition][ . Kristina B dunechaser . leobard . massdistraction josstyk . OliYoung . Thomas Hawk only alice . the|G|™ . Joe Lanman romanlily . bitzcelt .laurakgibbs GetItWithMe logo © GetItWithMe.com All other photos were from the author Photo Credits

26. Thanks! Contact Me: www.boonyew.com www.twitter.com/jaremfan boon.chew@gmail.com