Time-dependent monitoring of aggregation-induced fluorescence of a model compound namely, (Z)-3-(3′,5′-bis(trifluoromethyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-2-(4-bromophenyl)acrylonitrile unearth hitherto unknown molecular level events such as onset of molecular aggregation, their growth, size, and diffusion dynamics. The presented generalized approach can also be extended to in situ monitoring and controlling of various biological aggregation processes down to a single-cell level and all aspects of materials chemistry, as well. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.