Reporting Time

Capturing Mobile Phone Usage: Research Methods for Mobile Studies
Carolyn Y. Wei Google [e-mail]

Abstract
The small form factor and constant presence of mobile phones create unique challenges to the study of their use. Mobile phone use can be difficult for outsiders to observe because of the intimate nature of the devices. Mobile use can also be multimodal (voice and text), further complicating data collection. The mobility and multitasking that are facilitated with the device pose logistical challenges for data capture as well. This paper presents a literature review of innovative methodologies for mobile phone studies. Some of these methods include cameras and other recording devices, diary studies, and controlled experiments. This paper also presents the multimethod approach that was used in an original field study of mobile phone use for supporting personal and romantic relationships in India: questionnaire, interview, participant observation, and mobile diary. Keywords: mobile phones, data collection, research methods

Introduction
Mobile phones are a unique technology that has become seamlessly stitched into users’ lives. They are a simple tool yet also an integrative, all-in-one lifestyle technology. Because of their small size, mobile phones can be with their owners at all times and used around the clock. That constant presence and availability affect and shape the habits of daily life for the user as well as the people who surround them. Befitting a device that is changing habits and society with each use, innovative methods are needed to study mobile phone use effectively. Studying mobile phone use requires creativity and multiple data collection techniques. Some of the characteristics of mobile phone use that challenge study design are the small form factor and screen of the mobile, the mobility of the user, the large range of environments a user may find herself in, the many activities and channels of communication that are possible over the

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