Design Critique
Date: Sep. 2024
Screen Time on my phone suggests that Duolingo is my most-used app. In fact, it’s held the top spot for the past few months, easily surpassing instagram, which had previously held that title for as long as I can remember. Unlike using social media, with Duolingo I feel great because I am actually learning something. So what is it about Duolingo that makes it as addictive as social media?
Duolingo rewards users for completing daily lessons with steaks. I remember times when I found myself panicking at 11:45PM, rushing to complete my tasks just to avoid losing my streak. When I manage to do so, I feel a sense of accomplishment. The app prominently displays your streak on the home screen, acting as both a motivator, and a visual reminder of your progress. Users are also ranked in the leaderboard based on the experience point(XP) they earn from successfully completing their lessons, with rankings updated weekly. The UI presents XP in a progress bar for daily tasks, which serves as a visual cue, making users more likely to complete goals when they see that they are near the finishing line. Gradual progress on the leaderboard also gives a sense of competition, further boosting engagement.
Duolingo uses a data driven approach that Tan, King, and Churchill share, “helps you understand how to determine different user types and their needs and expectations” (107). Understanding how users interact with the app, Duolingo can optimize the user journey, creating an engaging and addictive learning experience. Duolingo also offers a feature called Duolingo Plus which allows unlimited mistakes and removes ads. As someone who uses the free plan, I absolutely enjoy when Duolingo gives timely free trial rewards of the feature.
Duolingo breaks down content into smaller, digestible chunks that I can consume during my short breaks — like waiting or even bathroom breaks. These manageable sessions are segmented into UI elements such as multiple-choice questions, short translations, and speaking exercises, so that users won’t be overwhelmed with too much content. Duolingo limits user distraction during lessons with minimal buttons and elements. The low-effort, high-reward model guides the users through small tasks, providing a significant sense of accomplishment.
Lessons gradually increase in complexity as the user progresses, maintaining a balance between task difficulty and rewards to prevent frustration or boredom. This structured approach enables learners to fully engage in the task, allowing them enough time with clear goals. Duolingo allows users to check their friends’ progress and congratulate them on their achievements, building a sense of belongingness and accountability. The newly introduced Friends Clash feature lets users challenge their friend in a friendly competition, tapping into the social nature of users and boosting engagement of the app.
One of the reasons I have been able to build a daily habit with Duolingo is the reminders to maintain my streak. I have noticed that the app sends reminders when I am most likely to be free, likely based on my previous activity pattern. This adaptive feature personalizes the user experience, encouraging long term use. “Design always advocates for users and is accountable to users” (Tan et al. 10). The app’s learning path evolves with the strengths and weaknesses of the users. For example, I struggle with grammar during my lessons, and Duolingo automatically presents more exercises in this area.
Users are able to set goals and adjust schedules, making the experience even more personalized. The app creates a sense of ownership by continually engaging users in their language-learning journey. As the authors share, “data can help you build empathy with your users; it can give your users a voice at the decision-making table with you as their advocate ” (Tan et al. 37). I also find it amusing when the Duolingo owl icon changes — sometimes it looks sick and sad, which immediately makes me concerned that I am falling behind in my progress, encouraging me to get back to earning my XPs. Duolingo features some adorable and playful animated characters that offer a dynamic learning experience, encouraging active participation from the users. I enjoy their presence, making my lessons engaging.
After 332 days, I feel that my Duolingo journey has been a pleasant one. Learning a language always seemed like a Herculean task, but the app’s thoughtful design and user experience is helping millions of users worldwide achieve their goals, opening doors to new ways of thinking.
“Duolingo Duo Sticker.” Giphy, www.giphy.com/stickers/Duolingo-app-duo-duolingo-IURYMmloHWzmKihgQ2 .
“Main Characters.” Duolingo Fandom, Fandom, https://duolingo.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Main_Characters .Accessed 9th Sep 2024.
Tan, Caitlin, Rochelle King and Elizabeth F. Churchill. Designing with Data. O’Reilly Media, 2017. pp. 10, 37, 107.