Mobile observations with

Pocket Observer

Imagine children on a playground, customers in a busy supermarket, or animals in their natural environment. They are constantly on the move and you need to observe them unobtrusively.

In these situations, Pocket Observer is the ideal solution to code behavior. It is installed on a handheld device, for example, a smartphone.

Observing and coding shopping behavior on-site

Why should I use Pocket Observer?

Observe behavior unobtrusively using Pocket Observer on a handheld device:

Maximum freedom in moving
Observe unobtrusively
Code on a smartphone or tablet
Cost-effective
User-friendly software

How does Pocket Observer work?

Pocket Observer is designed for ambulatory and outdoor observations. It is a special add-on for live coding that runs on smartphones and tablets that are suitable for outdoor use. You can choose almost any Android smartphone as recording device making the Noldus Pocket Observer for Android a very cost-effective coding solution.

The interface of Pocket Observer is especially designed for live behavioral scoring. And just like with The Observer XT^®, you can add behaviors while you are observing and score continuously as well as instantaneously (at set intervals).

How do I set up Pocket Observer?

Set up your project in The Observer XT research software. The software allows for the setup of a coding scheme and definition of independent variables. An Android platform smartphone can handle up to 250 coding scheme elements.
Upload this coding scheme to Pocket Observer, running on your smartphone, and you are ready to start collecting your data. Check which code corresponds with which behavior, subject, or modifier. When you discover a new behavior during a live observation, you can add this to your coding scheme on the smartphone. You do not have to go back to your PC to make changes. With Pocket Observer software, you can use both time (instantaneous) and continuous sampling. Time sampling is a straightforward method that is often used in live observations.
During your observation you can code subject, behaviors, and modifiers by tapping the touchscreen. You can also insert markers. For example, when noticing an interesting event, something unexpected, or an event that cannot be adequately described by the elements in the coding scheme, you can insert a marker. A marker is added to the comment field. Therefore, the marked event can easily be retrieved after the observation.
Per event you can add comments. Easily record notes and write out conversations. When imported in The Observer XT, the text is visualized in the event log and in a separate window.
After observing, you simply import the observation data to The Observer XT for analysis. You can integrate your handheld observation data with audio, video, or physiological data. When downloading your data to The Observer XT, you can integrate all files into one observation project for joint visualization and analysis.

Ready to take the next step?

We’re passionate about helping you achieve your research goals. Let’s discuss your project and find the tools that fit.