Unlocking Rich Insights with Diary Studies in UX Research

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader

Diary studies are one of the most underutilized but powerful methods in the UX researcher’s toolkit. They give us a window into users’ real lives—capturing behaviors, thoughts, and emotions as they unfold naturally over time. Unlike lab studies or one-off interviews, diary studies help uncover longitudinal patterns and contextual insights that are easy to miss in snapshot research.

What Are Diary Studies?

A diary study asks participants to self-report their experiences, actions, or feelings at defined intervals or in response to specific triggers. Instead of relying on memory, participants log their activities as they happen. Formats can include:

• Written journals (digital or paper)

• Mobile diary apps

• Voice notes or short video entries

• Automated prompts via surveys or messaging platforms

When to Use Diary Studies

Diary studies shine when you need to understand:

• Habits and routines (daily health tracking, exercise, medication adherence)

• Multi-touchpoint journeys (shopping over time, onboarding experiences)

• Evolving perceptions (trust in a product, satisfaction after repeated use)

• Contextual constraints (how environment, mood, or location affect behavior)

Best Practices for Running Diary Studies

1. Keep tasks simple and lightweightLong or complex prompts lead to participant fatigue. Use short, focused questions.

2. Set clear expectationsLet participants know how often you’ll ask for input, how long it will take, and why it matters.

3. Automate remindersSMS, push notifications, or scheduled emails help participants stay on track.

4. Incentivize fairlyCompensate based on effort and duration—often staggered payments help maintain engagement.

5. Balance structure with flexibilityMix structured questions (e.g., rate ease of use on a scale) with open-ended prompts to capture stories.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

🚫 Overloading participants – Too many prompts or overly detailed instructions will reduce compliance.🚫 Vague guidance – If participants don’t know what to capture, data will be inconsistent.🚫 Lack of follow-up – Failing to debrief with participants misses the chance to clarify ambiguous entries.

Example Prompts

• Good prompt: “Take a screenshot the first time you encounter frustration today. Tell us briefly what you were trying to do.”

• Bad prompt: “Write everything you did on the app today.”

Measuring Success in Diary Studies

Key performance indicators (KPIs) to track include:

• Completion rate – How many entries did participants submit as planned?

• Consistency – Did they submit at the right times and with sufficient detail?

• Insight quality – Were the entries rich enough to identify themes and patterns?

Why Diary Studies Matter

Diary studies help bridge the gap between what people say and what people actually do in their natural environments. They build empathy for users’ lived experiences and uncover opportunities to improve products, services, and systems in ways lab research simply can’t.

✅ Takeaway: Use diary studies when you need depth, context, and patterns over time. They may require more planning and participant management, but the insights gained can transform your understanding of the user experience.