Duolingo
Duolingo
Duolingo
Made Duolingo reminders fun and shareable with Spotify integration and real-time translations.
Made Duolingo reminders fun and shareable with Spotify integration and real-time translations.
Role
Role
UI/UX Design
IxD Design
Motion Design
UI/UX Design
IxD Design
Motion Design
Timeline
Timeline
2 Months
2 Months
Tools
Tools
Figma
Adobe Suite
Figma
Adobe Suite
Role
UI/UX Design
IxD Design
Motion Design
Timeline
2 Months
Tools
Figma
Adobe Suite
The Brief
Duolingo is the world’s most popular language-learning platform
Duolingo is the world’s most popular language-learning platform
The goal was to create Duolingo reminders so fun and shareable that Gen Z and millennials can’t ignore them—and want to spread them. We integrated Duolingo into Spotify with real-time translations and social sharing, turning music into a fun, shareable language-learning experience
The goal was to create Duolingo reminders so fun and shareable that Gen Z and millennials can’t ignore them—and want to spread them. We integrated Duolingo into Spotify with real-time translations and social sharing, turning music into a fun, shareable language-learning experience
Empathy Interviews
Engaging with Consumers
Engaging with Consumers
We conducted six interviews with Gen Z and Millennial users, each with varying levels of engagement with the Duolingo app.
We conducted six interviews with Gen Z and Millennial users, each with varying levels of engagement with the Duolingo app.
6
6
in-depth interviews were conducted
in-depth interviews were conducted
in-depth interviews were conducted
4
4
different socio-economic backgrounds
different socio-economic backgrounds
different socio-economic backgrounds
18
18
years of age difference between the participants
years of age difference between the participants
years of age difference between the participants
Pain Points
Identifying Challenges
Identifying Challenges
After synthesizing our interviews we identified various challenges users faced.
After synthesizing our interviews we identified various challenges users faced.
Redundant Notifications
Redundant Notifications
Users find current reminders repetitive and easy to ignore.
App Usage
App Usage
Users prefer other apps in their daily routines over Duolingo.
Friends and Sharing
Friends and Sharing
Users are more likely to text friends than share on social media.
Lack of Time
Lack of Time
Users don’t have time to engage with academic-style content on their phones.
User Persona
Creating our User
Creating our User
We created a persona based on user interviews to understand why traditional language learning reminders get ignored.
We created a persona based on user interviews to understand why traditional language learning reminders get ignored.
Monica Valenti
Busy Learner, 24
“I love connecting with new cultures when I travel—through the music I’m listening to or the movies I watch. But with work and everything else going on, it’s hard to make time to actually learn a language.”
“I love connecting with new cultures when I travel—through the music I’m listening to or the movies I watch. But with work and everything else going on, it’s hard to make time to actually learn a language.”
Journey Maps
Visualizing User Experiences
Visualizing User Experiences
Crafting journey maps helped visualize and understand each our users experience.
Crafting journey maps helped visualize and understand each our users experience.
Problem & Solution
Defining Solutions
Defining Solutions
We then identified the solutions that best solved our users' problems.
We then identified the solutions that best solved our users' problems.
She struggles to find time for structured language lessons and prefers to learn naturally through everyday activities like listening to music.
She struggles to find time for structured language lessons and prefers to learn naturally through everyday activities like listening to music.
Integrate Duolingo into Spotify with real-time translations and social sharing, turning music into a fun, low-effort language-learning experience.
Integrate Duolingo into Spotify with real-time translations and social sharing, turning music into a fun, low-effort language-learning experience.
Learn As You Listen
Duo Mode
Duo Mode
Provides real-time translations and language insights while listening to music, allowing users to learn effortlessly without interrupting their flow.
Provides real-time translations and language insights while listening to music, allowing users to learn effortlessly without interrupting their flow.
Lyric View
Lyric View
The toggle in the lyric view allows users to seamlessly switch between Duo mode with translations and a plain lyrics view —subtly present when needed, but never intrusive.
The toggle in the lyric view allows users to seamlessly switch between Duo mode with translations and a plain lyrics view —subtly present when needed, but never intrusive.
Language Insights
Language Insights
Tap highlighted words to discover grammar tips
and cultural insights with Duo.
Tap highlighted words to discover grammar tips
and cultural insights with Duo.
Subtle Reminders
Subtle Reminders
At the end of the song, a gentle reminder encourages
users to return to Duolingo and finish their lesson.
At the end of the song, a gentle reminder encourages
users to return to Duolingo and finish their lesson.
Learn As You Listen
Effortless Sharing
Effortless Sharing
The feature allows users to effortlessly share their language learning milestones with friends through iMessage and Instagram Stories, creating organic moments of connection with simple, shareable reminders.
The feature allows users to effortlessly share their language learning milestones with friends through iMessage and Instagram Stories, creating organic moments of connection with simple, shareable reminders.
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories
Choose from multiple story themes and share your language progress with friends.
Choose from multiple story themes and share your language progress with friends.
iMessage Sharing
iMessage Sharing
At the end of the song, a gentle reminder encourages users to return to Duolingo and finish their lesson.
At the end of the song, a gentle reminder encourages users to return to Duolingo and finish their lesson.
Experience
Presenting to Duolingo
Presenting to Duolingo
My partner and I had the privilege of presenting this project to the Duolingo team at their headquarters in NYC — an incredible opportunity to share our vision and receive thoughtful feedback.
My partner and I had the privilege of presenting this project to the Duolingo team at their headquarters in NYC — an incredible opportunity to share our vision and receive thoughtful feedback.
Takeaways
What I Learned
What I Learned
Working within a brief and brand was challenging, but it pushed me to find creative solutions as a designer.
Working within a brief and brand was challenging, but it pushed me to find creative solutions as a designer.
Working Within a Brief
Working Within a Brief
We balanced creativity with requirements to integrate music and language learning.
Championing the User
Championing the User
Understanding the user simplified development.
Creating Viral Sharing
Creating Viral Sharing
We encouraged sharing with Duo-themed lyric stories, making progress easy to share.
Creating a Passive Experience
Creating a Passive Experience
We designed a seamless, non-intrusive experience that fit naturally into phone usage.
Next Project
Next Project
Next Project