Learning about everyday and future ICT practices: with or without online diaries?

Dr. Wendy Van den Broeck

Dr. An Jacobs

Bram Lievens

Overview

Introduction: iMinds-SMIT Commissioned diaries as a research tool SMIT choices Research cases Lessons learned from comparison

Commissioned diaries as research tool

Literature: Direct reporting of hard to remember data

leads to more exhaustive and accurate data Data that is not directly observable

(time/context) Open format or more structured Part of tradition of auto-collecting methods

(audio, visual)

Cases to be compared

3D-TV 2.0.

Variation in the cases

•Target population

• Online <-> offline <-> combination

• New technology or existing practices and experiences

• Format diary: event based, time based or combination

•Amount and character of questions

3D-TV 2.0.

• 18 households – 40 participants• • Event based logging of 3D sessions (video content &

gaming) + evaluation of 3D experience (scale and open questions)

• 2x diary week: TV and gaming behavior: choice online or offline

•

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IM3 (Interactive Mobile Medical monitoring)

12 people with chronic heart failure Offline diary and auto-collection of pictures Intake and follow up interview 4 weeks total, 2 weeks diary Open ended & closed questions

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Video Q-sac

Usage of video-material on different screens in the home

40 households/100 respondents Profile questionnaire and picture inventory of

multimedia Online or offline diary and follow up interview 2 years total, 1 week diary Open ended and closed questions

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Tiro

ICT in the life of young people Panel study 34 participants aged 12-18 10 months Online diary sent by mail or MSN – weekly

reflection on their ICT usage

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Lessons learned from comparison(Johnson & Blytheway, 2001)

1. Representation: to what extent did it put potential participants off?

2. Difficulties: were some participants unable to complete the diary due to impairments or limited skills?

3. Quality of data: how consistent, adequate and accurate was the diary as a method to record daily events and actions?

4. Influencing behavior: did keeping a diary influence behavior?

5. Online or offline

6. Ethical considerations: did the completion of the diary cause some undue distress, anxiety or inconvenience?

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Representation: burden of the auto-collective method

No difference in experienced burden offline <-> online (exception: double entries)

Limited amount of clear questions (example answers) Type of information? Written down (structured) or called in

(experiences)

Video-Q sac: confronting media behavior 3D-TV: 3D as ‘event’ TIRO: reporting on repetitive behavior

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Difficulties with filling in the diaries: impairment and skill Online: tablet/computer access and skill Camera: instructions Elderly: writing culture versus visual, physical

impairment Ehealth projects:

stress factor

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Quality of the data:consistency, adequacy, accuracy

Quantitative information: logging Diary: qualitative data; representations Open ended questions depends on willingness

of respondent Importance of opening question: average day? Necessity of follow up interview

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Influencing behavior Social desirability bias

Future behavior: e.g. Watch less tv

Higher usage pattern in order to be ‘good user/participant’

Ehealth research and compliance to social standard of ‘good patient’

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Ethical considerations: stress, anxiety and inconvenience

Open research role – inform when recruiting - trust

Informed consent

Stressful life events and data collection: e.g. IM3

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Online or offline Participants:

Preference for offline Nice lay-out/object as incentive Provides opportunity for additional remarks more easily Easy to take: size matters Time - availability Dependent upon normal everyday ICT use (online already –

switching between devices?) Researchers:

Number of participants influences choice Online: data is already digital Offline: additional comments – easy to take to interview Alternatives: call-in, video reporting, …

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Q & A

Thank you!

Contact information:

http://smit.vub.ac.bewendy.van.den.broeck@vub.ac.bean.jacobs@vub.ac.beBram.lievens@vub.ac.be