User diaries

What is it?

Supplying users with diaries or asking them to record pictures, video or audio.

What is it useful for?

Gaining insight into the lives of your users, particularly patterns of behaviour.

How can I do it?

Supply users with a diary and ask them to keep a written record of their impressions, circumstances and activities related to the relevant aspects of their lives. The diary can be kept over a week or sometimes longer. Be careful not to ask leading questions that will distort the results you get: keep your questions open-ended and your language simple.

Giving your users cameras or asking them to record pictures, video or audio on their phones can be an effective way to get users to record important incidents and their environment.

Photo diaries can be used in conjunction with a written diary or as a stand-alone piece of evidence. But even if they're as simple as pictures of users' houses, or the contents of their fridges, they still provide valuable insights into users' habits.

You could provide a pre-printed notebook or diary with prompts or questions, making sure the visual design makes it easy to complete.

It can often be worth talking through the diary in a follow-up interview.