→ Paper available on the pages of the Cooperative Media Lab
Abstract: The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) is commonly used in human-computer interaction for capturing subjective and situational experiences of users in real time. It can be time-based or event-based. The Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) asks about experiences only on the following day and should therefore be less disruptive for participants. To determine how the three methods differ in terms of quantity and quality of the answers, we conduct a direct and systematic comparison in a between-subject study (N = 17). We compare the count and duration of experience episodes (N = 157) of each method in a quantitative analysis. We find a significant difference between the durations of episodes of the time-based ESM and the DRM, which may indicate a reduced time accuracy with the DRM. Then, we compare the answers obtained in a post-study survey, which do not indicate a greater satisfaction of participants of the DRM for short study periods.