Duolingo
Helping learners move from lessons to real conversations
ROLE
Product Designer
SKILLS
User Research
Product Design
Prototyping
TOOLS
Figma
TIMELINE
5 weeks, 2025
Duolingo
Helping learners move from lessons to real conversations
ROLE
Product Designer
SKILLS
User Research
Product Design
Prototyping
TOOLS
Figma
TIMELINE
5 weeks, 2025
Duolingo
Helping learners move from lessons to real conversations
ROLE
Product Designer
SKILLS
User Research
Product Design
Prototyping
TOOLS
Figma
TIMELINE
5 weeks, 2025
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
From Solo Practice to Real Conversation
I was challenged to design a Duolingo feature that helps learners transition from solo practice to real world conversation.
I was challenged to design a Duolingo feature that helps learners transition from solo practice to real world conversation.
Conversation Quests is a social, AI-powered practice feature that helps learners strengthen vocabulary recall and conversational confidence by practicing with friends in low pressure, guided conversations.
Conversation Quests is a social, AI-powered practice feature that helps learners strengthen vocabulary recall and conversational confidence by practicing with friends in low pressure, guided conversations.
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Over-reliance on direct translation leads to plateaus
Learners rely heavily on translation based exercises, which limits vocabulary recall and makes it hard to form sentences independently.
Learners rely heavily on translation based exercises, which limits vocabulary recall and makes it hard to form sentences independently.
When they finally encounter real world conversations, anxiety takes over—not because of the other person, but because of fear of forgetting words, sounding incorrect, or being judged.
When they finally encounter real world conversations, anxiety takes over—not because of the other person, but because of fear of forgetting words, sounding incorrect, or being judged.
DESIGN CHALLENGES
DESIGN CHALLENGES
DESIGN CHALLENGES
How do we help learners practice recall—not just recognition?
How do we help learners practice recall—not just recognition?
Translation based exercises don’t require learners to generate language on their own, weakening recall when it matters most.
Translation based exercises don’t require learners to generate language on their own, weakening recall when it matters most.
How do we reduce fear of judgment?
How do we reduce fear of judgment?
Learners feel anxious practicing with strangers and worry about how their efforts will be received.
Learners feel anxious practicing with strangers and worry about how their efforts will be received.
How do we keep it accessible and aligned with Duolingo’s values?
How do we keep it accessible and aligned with Duolingo’s values?
The solution needed to be free, lightweight, and feel aligned with the product.
The solution needed to be free, lightweight, and feel aligned with the product.
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Prompt-Driven Conversation with Friends
Prompt-Driven Conversation with Friends
From Solo Practice to Shared Conversation
From Solo Practice to Shared Conversation
Instead of practicing alone or chatting with an AI bot, learners are paired with a friend and practice through shared conversation quests. Practicing with someone familiar creates a sense of comfort that lowers fear of judgment, making learners more willing to take risks, make mistakes, and keep going—all essential for progressing toward conversational fluency.
Instead of practicing alone or chatting with an AI bot, learners are paired with a friend and practice through shared conversation quests. Practicing with someone familiar creates a sense of comfort that lowers fear of judgment, making learners more willing to take risks, make mistakes, and keep going—all essential for progressing toward conversational fluency.
An AI-generated prompt kicks off the conversation so no one has to “go first,” helping both participants ease into natural conversation while staying focused on recall.
An AI-generated prompt kicks off the conversation so no one has to “go first,” helping both participants ease into natural conversation while staying focused on recall.
Immediate Language Feedback
Gentle Guardrails for Learning Reinforcement
Gentle Guardrails for Learning Reinforcement
Learners can reference a corrected version of their message to understand how to improve their phrasing.
Users can revisit language rules for a specific message anytime, promoting reflection and growth.
Tap to Translate, Without Breaking Flow
Tap to Translate, Without Breaking Flow
Support Without Punishment
Support Without Punishment
Support Without Punishment
Learners can tap on a word or character in their friend’s message to reveal the translation in their default language, reinforcing meaning while keeping the conversation moving.
Learners can tap on a word or character in their friend’s message to reveal the translation in their default language, reinforcing meaning while keeping the conversation moving.
Learners can tap on a word or character in their friend’s message to reveal the translation in their default language, reinforcing meaning while keeping the conversation moving.
Not being able to translate something shouldn’t set learners back.
Not being able to translate something shouldn’t set learners back.
Not being able to translate something shouldn’t set learners back.
Streaks, Nudges, and Celebration
Streaks, Nudges, and Celebration
Motivation Through Shared Progress
Motivation Through Shared Progress
Learners can high-five after completing a conversation or nudge a friend who hasn’t responded yet for playful social signals that encourage consistency without pressure.
Learners can high-five after completing a conversation or nudge a friend who hasn’t responded yet for playful social signals that encourage consistency without pressure.
Friends who grow together, stick together.
Friends who grow together, stick together.
Cross-Language Conversations
Cross-Language Conversations
Designed for Real Language Complexity
Designed for Real Language Complexity
Learners can practice together even when studying different languages.
Grey text indicates the learner’s target language, while contextual translation logic preserves idioms and intent rather than relying on direct word for word translation.
Learners can practice together even when studying different languages.
Grey text indicates the learner’s target language, while contextual translation logic preserves idioms and intent rather than relying on direct word-for-word translation.
There are many differing complexities between languages. I thought the way Google Translate's NTM handled this best by not only translating word by word for complete context, but also replacing idioms and filler words with similar ones in the translated language.
There are many differing complexities between languages. I thought the way Google Translate's NTM handled this best by not only translating word by word for complete context, but also replacing idioms and filler words with similar ones in the translated language.
OUTCOME
OUTCOME
OUTCOME
The concept received strong positive feedback from a Duolingo product designer, who highlighted its strong grounding in existing app behavior and effective use of friend based motivation.
The concept received strong positive feedback from a Duolingo product designer, who highlighted its strong grounding in existing app behavior and effective use of friend based motivation.
My biggest takeaway from a project on a science-back platform was to consciously research and consistently ask myself of the intention behind my designs. I'd love to chat about an in-depth case study!
My biggest takeaway from a project on a science-back platform was to consciously research and consistently ask myself of the intention behind my designs. I'd love to chat about an in-depth case study!