Method: Self-documentation

Self-documentation is a method I have been exploring and playing with a few years now.  Most qualitative researchers will have packed up a disposable camera or sent out a diary for participants to record their thoughts, activities and preferences. However with the proliferation of smart phones, small video cameras and online reporting tools the scope for inviting people to report in and capture different elements of their day, week and life have expanded considerably. 


A vital element of successfully deploying this method is the provision of clear, involving and thought provoking questions. Participants need to feel safe and confident that they are capturing 'the right' kind of data. Of course to a curious researcher anything can be interesting ...  That said, I love this photo from IDEO's Human Centered Design Toolkit, available here:
http://www.ideo.com/work/item/human-centered-design-toolkit/

The questions are simple, playful, intimate and revealing, and it will mean the researcher has a wonderful glimpse into the participant's world. When writing the questions get a friend or someone quite different to yourself to have a read - what do they think, anything confusing or alienating?

How to: Getting out into the field

For anyone about to get out into the field for the first time I highly recommend this 20 minute video by Dan Saffer, (who is a founder and principal at the design consultancy Kicker Studio). 'What people are really doing' is from the Design Research Conference 2009.

It's awesome and might help you avoid having to learn 'what not to do' the hard way!