This paper will explore the methodological and analytical perspectives involved in using the smartphone as a tool for data collection. The smartphone is integrated into everyday practices beyond phone calls and text messaging such as getting around town, exercising, staying informed about relevant issues, and planning everyday life in general. This makes the smartphone an ideal tool for data collection for several reasons: 1) We tend to have it with us on any occasion, 2) its designed features allow for the collection of different types of data and 3) a combination of different data generating versatile and detailed accounts of everyday practices.
Regarding the first perspective, the smartphone allows for a “seamless” collection of data about everyday practices as they take place. While interviews require interviewees to recall details about their everyday practices and participant observation requires the presence of an observer, collection of data by way of the smartphone allows for a less intrusive type of data collection that blends more easily into those everyday contexts they are to document. Concerning the second perspective, the designed features of the smartphone enable the collection of a broad variety of data types including found data, made data and metadata (Jensen, forthcoming). On the one hand, the smartphone allows for an extensive logging of automatically generated data regarding its use. On the other hand, the smartphone allows for the production of data beyond written or verbal accounts which may require less effort on behalf of the participants. Finally, regarding the third perspective, the integration of the smartphone into everyday practices allows for a combination of data during the process of collection that can enhance data validity and expand the analytical frames. Metadata may be used to probe accounts of everyday practices and accounts of everyday practices may inform the classification of metadata. Furthermore, accounts of everyday practices identify relevant patterns to be explored in the analysis of metadata.
The paper will discuss existing methods of data collection on smartphones and how these can be combined. Furthermore, it will discuss how this type of analysis may expand our understanding social media and cross-media use by reinstating them into the context of the everyday practices they are part of.