A Comparison Between Time-Use Data Collected By Smartphones and a Paper Diary

Smartphones and “apps” allows time-use research to be set up in a completely different way, such as for example a time-use app. Smartphone users have (almost) permanently access to this device, so respondents can report (more easily) their activities at multiple times per day, instead of using a paper diary in traditional time-use research. Additionally, smartphones enable to collect complementary information, such as exact location (by GPS), how people feel at random moments during the day (i.e. experience sampling), what short-term activities they do throughout the day (by pop-up questions such as about social media use), etc.

The Netherlands Institute for Social Research | SCP and CentERdata jointly conducted experiments to collect time-use data by smartphones. An app was specifically designed for this purpose (following HETUS-guidelines) and tested (n= 150). The pilot study was evaluated positively regarding the technical software development and tests, as well as the willingness of respondents to participate, their response quality and the ease with which even inexperienced persons were able to use the smartphone app.  Therefore the smartphone app is implemented in a larger survey. Data are collected from a random selection of the LISS-panel, which is representative for the Dutch public aged 16 years and older. People without a smartphone can borrow one, in this way everyone is able to participate. In order to be as similar as possible to the data collected by the traditional time use survey in the Netherlands (2011/12), data are collected for an entire year (2012/13). This paper will compare the smartphone data collection with the traditional Dutch time use surveys using a paper diary, both based on the HETUS guidelines.