01 / THE IDEA
What does it mean?
Diary studies ask participants to record experiences during their natural routines, revealing habits and changing contexts.
02 / IN PRACTICE
Make it concrete.
Illustrative example: A sleep app team asks people to note how and why they use the app across two weeks.
03 / WHAT TO WATCH FOR
A common mistake.
Treating diary entries as complete objective records without follow-up.
04 / WHEN IT HELPS
When should you use it?
When a behavior cannot be observed well in one interview or session.
05 / FURTHER READING
Explore the source.
Nielsen Norman Group — Diary Studies ↗A reference for further learning, not an endorsement or verbatim quotation.