Duolingo is a free language-learning platform that offers courses in over 30 languages. It uses gamification to make learning engaging and accessible, with bite-sized lessons and interactive exercises that help users build vocabulary and grammar skills at their own pace.
Role: UX/UI Designer and Researcher (with support from my mentor Patricia Machado)
Timeline: 75 Hours
Project Type: Add a feature to an existing app
Tools: Figma, Figjam, Zoom
“This Doesn’t Fit My Needs”
Project Brief
As I prepared for my trip to Italy, I thought that learning some Italian would make navigating easier. I downloaded Duolingo and completed a few lessons, but I quickly began to question the practicality of the phrases I was learning. For instance, how often would I actually need to say, “Alessandro is a husband”? I appreciate that the lessons focus on the basics, but it would be more beneficial if they included more relevant phrases. When I discussed this with friends, they agreed that while Duolingo is useful for picking up some fundamentals and certain lessons can be beneficial, it ultimately didn’t align with my needs. Many users may seek to learn a language for a variety of reasons, yet they often find themselves following a predetermined path established by Duolingo that may not be the best fit.
Finding the Solution
Competitive Analysis
User Interviews
The aim of this project is to identify ways to integrate diverse learning modes, allowing users to learn a language in a manner that suits their preferences.
My research objectives are to:
Explore how users prefer to learn a new language.
Investigate the motivations behind users' desire to learn a new language.
Gain insights into the process of learning a new language.
Discoveries
I conducted a competitive analysis to understand how other competitors (Babbel, Rosetta Stone, and Memrise) operate and whether there are areas of opportunities that I can utilize.
I found that competitors already offer language learning for specific scenarios. However, their approach is more on the traditional side rather than gamified like Duolingo, which may make it less enjoyable or engaging compared to Duolingo.
The key question then becomes: “How can I target users needs in a way that feels as familiar and fun as Duolingo?”
I was able interview 8 participants and the key insights I learned were:
5/8 participants sought a sense of immersion, such as speaking with natives or practicing in a classroom setting.
6/8 participants cited culture as a major motivator for learning a language.
2/8 participants found Duolingo’s content (e.g., incorrect Chinese) didn’t align with native usage.
A cultural connoisseur
“I love reading about other people’s culture. I find that different cultures are very interesting. How language relates to culture is cool.”
Avid Traveller
“Right now, my motivation is to not be lost when arriving in Japan. I want to be able to ask for what I want.”
Key Takeway:
Most users crave an immersive experience that allows them to speak like natives and fully embrace the culture, with cultural connection serving as a powerful motivator.
Building on this key insight, I chose to focus on addressing the following questions:
How might we integrate cultural learning with language acquisition?
How might we help users develop the language skills necessary to communicate effectively in a foreign language for personal purposes?
Defining the Target Audience
Personas
Based on the interviews and competitive analysis, I developed these two personas to identify users' goals, motivations, and pain points, providing a clear understanding of what to focus on when creating a solution.
Tackling the Problem
After defining the target audience, I brainstormed ideas and created a low-fidelity sketch and user flow to address the issue. The main goal was to introduce culture and enable users to learn bits of the language for specific purposes, like speaking with family or traveling.
Designing the Solution
To integrate this into Duolingo, I planned a new path selection that allowed users to choose their study route based on reasons like work, family, or travel. These paths would branch out as users grasped the basics.
I decided to test 5 participants using these measures of success:
Determine whether users felt like they learned more about Italy’s culture or history.
Evaluate whether users were able to acquire the words or phrases used to navigate Italy.
Discover whether users feel the additional path disrupts Duolingo’s aesthetics.
Overall, the results were very positive. Below are the final touches made.
Iteration 1
Iteration 1
Final Iteration
Final Iteration
During user testing, participants found it difficult to identify the path, as it appeared cluttered and confusing.
To address this, I explored several design options to guide the user's attention more effectively.
Initially, I used a simple gray line, but then I realized that Duolingo often employs circular elements.
So, I designed a series of circles to visually indicate the path, making it clearer that users could follow that route.
During user testing, participants suggested that adding a title above the diverging paths would enhance their experience by clearly indicating what lies ahead, without requiring them to click on each option.
Additionally, I customized the character by giving her travel bags to better integrate her into the lesson plan.
Glimpse of the Final Design
Interactive Prototype
Lessons Learned
A Challenge
The DesignLab course assignment required adding a feature to an existing app. Given the extensive research and resources behind many apps, it was challenging to identify a solution that hadn't already been explored. After evaluating various apps and gathering user feedback, I found an opportunity for improvement in Duolingo. Though the solution is simple, it has the potential to significantly enhance the user experience as many users learn a language to explore the culture and utilize it for their own personal reasons.
Working Within Constraints
This project taught me how to navigate design constraints, as many large companies have established materials and preferred styles. I learned to adapt to these existing frameworks. Additionally, this was my first experience designing something beyond a basic retail app or restaurant website, which required me to create a more gamified experience. This process significantly enhanced my beginner Figma skills.