Time Diary

A research methodology in which participants record their activities, experiences, or events in real time or near-real time as they occur, rather than recalling them retrospectively. In accessibility and usability research, time diaries have been used to capture frustrating experiences during computer use, with participants logging each frustration event along with its cause, duration, emotional impact, and response. This method provides richer, more accurate data than post-session interviews because participants report events close to when they happen, reducing recall bias. Time diaries have been particularly valuable in studying the experiences of blind web users, capturing the frequency, nature, and emotional impact of accessibility barriers encountered during real browsing sessions.