App audit
Wireframing & Prototyping
User Flows & Journeys
User Research & Personas
Interaction Design
Role
Designer
Researcher
Duration
June-July
2025
Tools
Figma/Figjam
ChatGPT
Notion
Key Insight
Learners often complete lessons but lack confidence in real world conversations. The missing piece is contextual practice and an easy way to save and use phrases in the moment.
Expected Results
2 features that strengthen speaking confidence, drives engagement and adds value for Super subscribers, with optional AI role-play that enhances practice while preserving user choice.
Project Goal
Bridge the gap between Duolingo’s lesson based drills and real-world scenarios by adding low-friction, scenario based learning and an easy phrase reference.
Core Solutions
DuoChat, a dialogue coach that encourages brief conversations and role-playing exercises plus a Phrasebook widget for quick access to pinned phrases.
The Problem
This project started with my own experience and grew through community feedback and personal conversations with Duolingo learners.
A common pattern emerged: despite long streaks and steady progress, many learners still lacked confidence speaking outside the app.
Without access to fluent speakers this gap felt especially limiting, leaving users eager for more practical tools to practice real scenarios.
“I wish I could have practiced sentences I’d use traveling.”
“I don’t use it anymore… it didn’t really help me learn.”
“It’s great for vocab, but not for most real scenarios.”
Key insights:
The gap between app-learning and real-world application leads to drop-off.
Subscribers expect tangible results from paid services.
AI can scale personalisation but needs transparent controls to preserve trust in the application.
Design Exploration
I began the design work by defining who I was designing for and how they would use DuoChat in real life. From there I moved into quick sketching and wireframing to validate the core flows.
The challenge was balancing Duolingo’s gamified flow with immersive learning opportunities without overwhelming the user.
Conversational role-play coach for practicing short, realistic exchanges.
Phrasebook widget for quick reference during daily life or downtime.
Integrated as a Super subscription feature to reinforce value.
Low fidelity wireframes created from early sketches for pre-testing
Process & deliverables
Created User personas, mapped their journeys, sketched principal screens and moments.
Turned sketches into wireframes to test flow logic:
Flow A: Pin a phrase
Lesson → Select phrase → Pin to Notebook
Flow B: Review & practice
Home → Section overview → Review past lessons → Mic (DuoChat) → Practice conversation
Flow 3 – Quick access
Navigation bar → DuoChat → Start conversation
Pivot & design rationale
During exploration, I realised DuoChat overlapped with Duolingo’s existing practice flow. Rather than building a standalone replacement, I reframed DuoChat as a natural extension: integrated into the Practice Page for discoverability, with quick access.
To deliver conversational practice, I explored three approaches:
Scripted scenarios and translation answers
Full AI Role-play
Hybrid model
The hybrid model felt like the most flexible choice as it:
Lets users opt in or out of AI role-play depending on comfort level
Supports practicing both current and past lesson material
Builds on existing flows instead of replacing them
Key changes
Section overview page → learners launch DuoChat directly.
Navigation shortcut → DuoChat and Phrasebook added to the navigation bar for easy access.
AI controls → settings toggle lets users opt in or stick with basic interactions.
Mind map of AI use in the duolingo feature
Key design decisions:
Colour Palette &
Typography
The Outcome
DuoChat
Provides short, situational prompts (e.g., “Order at a café”, “Talk about your weekend”).
AI handles complex role-play when enabled
Transparent AI controls preserve trust and broaden adoption.
Phrasebook
Save phrases from DuoChat or lessons for quick access.
Widget for home screen / quick reference when on the go.
Uses Duolingo’s colours, type and tone for instant familiarity.
Flow 1 - Introduction and discovery in app
Flow 2 - Manage notebook
Flow 3 - Chat with Duo
Flow 4 - Pin a phrase
Feedback & Validation
Critical
Some dismissed “chatbot” as a lazy add
Constructive
Requests for clearer user flows and real-use examples (GIFs/videos).
Positive
Idea is plausible and useful, people liked the phrasebook + practice concept.
How I interpreted this
The core concept was validated, but the presentation needed to emphasise action over displaying product images. The mixed reactions appeared to arise from the presentation style and inherent biases (e.g anti Ai or sentiments) , rather than the actual feasibility of the features.
