The ‘accessibility diary’: Discussing a new methodological approach to understand the impact of Internet use upon personal travel and activity participation

Diary studies have become increasingly popular in the field of transport research since their first recorded use just over 60 years ago, allowing collection of data not only on patterns of travel, but also on the full context for travel. However, few have incorporated recording of people’s use of new technologies, specifically, the Internet. This paper discusses a methodology, the accessibility diary, designed so to do. With a focus upon usability for participants and utility for researchers, the paper describes the diary design in full, assessing its efficacy with reference to focus group, interview and questionnaire data, alongside lessons from the analysis. The paper concludes with a consideration of the dilemma facing transport researchers: the wish to collect ever more complex information to advance understanding versus the need to develop methodologies that are simple to use, to maximise data quality and response rates.