# Diary Studies

Diary studies involve gathering data by asking participants to keep a record or diary of their experiences, behaviours, or thoughts over a specific period. Participants document their daily activities, thoughts, or interactions in a structured or unstructured format, providing detailed insights into their lives.&#x20;

Researchers use diary studies to gain a deeper understanding of participants' perspectives, habits, and challenges over time. These studies help uncover patterns, preferences, and motivations in a natural and self-reported manner, enabling businesses to tailor their offerings and improve user experiences based on real-life observations.

#### Further Reading

{% embed url="<https://www.nngroup.com/articles/diary-studies/>" %}

#### Further Viewing

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCx87YVbpLs>" %}

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euc_KvEoV_k>" %}

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEmn0Pe4cLw>" %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://www.designreference.xyz/ux-methods/discovery/diary-studies.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
