[Product Design] Improve the Duolingo Daily Learning Flow

Description

About Duolingo

• Duolingo is a language-learning platform that offers bite-sized lessons across dozens of languages, leveraging gamification to keep users engaged. With over 500 million users, its mission is to make language education accessible to everyone.

Problem Statement

• Duolingo’s current daily learning flow focuses on encouraging consistency through streaks, daily goals, and lesson modules. However, as users advance or lose motivation, the flow becomes repetitive and sometimes confusing—especially when resuming after a long break. Users may feel uncertain about what to study next or how to regain momentum.
• Without intervention, this friction may result in user churn and stalled learning outcomes.

Goal

• Improve clarity and motivation within the daily learning flow, especially for returning or demotivated users.
• Reduce drop-off rates during the lesson start process.
• Reinforce a sense of progress and learning continuity across different user types (beginners, returning, advanced).
• Maintain or enhance existing gamification elements without overwhelming users.

Design Challenge Mission (What you need to do)

• Examine the current daily lesson start flow on Duolingo.
• Identify friction points, confusion, or unnecessary repetition—especially for users who return after a break or who aren’t sure what to learn next.
• Redesign the flow to guide users smoothly into relevant and motivating lessons, adapting to user context and engagement level.

Getting Started

• Download the Duolingo app and walk through the lesson start flow: login → home tab → start a lesson or pick a unit.
• Simulate scenarios like:
• - Returning after a 7-day absence.
• - Being unsure about what topic or module to pursue.
• - Having already completed the daily goal, but wanting to continue.
• Note any areas where guidance is lacking or the interface doesn’t support diverse user intents.

Deliverables (Feel free to customize)

• 1. Flow: Provide a diagram or wireframes that illustrate your improved daily lesson start flow.
• 2. High-Resolution Screens (up to 2): Select the most complex or high-impact screens and present pixel-perfect mocks in the Duolingo style.
• 3. Documentation:
• ㅤ3-1. Submit a written description of your design process, decisions, and assumptions.
• ㅤ3-2. You can either use the Description field when submitting your solution via the Designus plugin in Figma, or add the text inside a dedicated solution frame in your Figma file.
• ㅤ3-3. Your documentation should address:
• ㅤㅤ- What questions you’d ask before starting this project.
• ㅤㅤ- Any assumptions you had to make.
• ㅤㅤ- How your redesign better supports user goals.
• ㅤㅤ- How you would test your assumptions.
• ㅤㅤ- How you'd define success post-launch.
• ㅤㅤ- Any limitations or trade-offs in your design.

Recommendation

• Focus on clarity, relevance, and motivational impact.
• Minimize unnecessary friction—especially for returning users.
• Ensure that accessibility and gamification remain top-of-mind.
• Use the provided Description field or solution frame in Figma to explain key decisions.

Submission Guide (How to use Designus plugin to submit a solution)

• 1. On the Designus website, click a design challenge you want to solve.
• 2. Click "Open in Figma" under the "Submit" tab.
• 3. On the Figma website, click "Open in…" on the Designus plugin page, and choose a Figma file to work in.
• 4. Once your Figma file opens, run the Designus plugin.
• 5. Copy the challenge URL from the Designus website, paste it into the plugin, and click "Import". Alternatively, you can select the challenge using the calendar.
• 6. After importing, work on your solution inside the "Solution" frame. You may resize the frame and include short descriptions or highlights as needed.
• 7. When your solution is ready, run the Designus plugin again.
• 8. Go to the "Export solution" tab.
• 9. Select the "Solution" frame you worked on — it will be attached automatically.
• 10. Add a description if you'd like.
• 11. Click "Export".

Disclaimer

• This design challenge is a fictional exercise intended for practice. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially related to Duolingo. All brand names and references are used solely for illustrative purposes.