Duolingo World
New Feature Concept · Cultural Immersion & Live Conversations
UX Case Study · 2023
Project Snapshot
- Role: UX Designer, Product Designer, Brand Strategist
- Scope: User research, product strategy, UX concept, feature definition, information architecture, interaction design, UI design, and brand experience exploration
- Timeline: 6-week design sprint
- Tools: Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, AI tools (for ideation, UX exploration, and content prototyping).
- Deliverables: UX case study, Product concept & feature definition, User flows & journey mapping, Wireframes & high-fidelity UI screens.
The Problem
Despite Duolingo’s success in gamified language learning, many users struggle to achieve conversational fluency and cultural confidence.
Learners often feel disconnected when speaking with native speakers, unsure of idioms, pronunciation variations, and cultural context.
How can we turn everyday app practice into confident, real-world communication?
The Solution. Duolingo World
Duolingo World is a new feature concept that introduces live, topic-based conversation sessions with native speakers and fellow learners.
This feature deepens engagement, improves retention, and supports cultural immersion while staying true to Duolingo’s playful, safe and accessible.
Join real-time practice rooms by topic and level
Engage in guided conversations led by Duolingo mentors
Gain cultural context through curated themes
Save the upcoming events you are interested in and get notified
Feature Highlights
Onboarding & Language Choice
Learners select their target language through a playful world map, with Duo welcoming them. The experience reinforces accessibility: learn anytime, anywhere.
Schedule Based Sessions
A weekly calendar of live sessions organized by themes like Travel, Food, and School. Users filter by interest, day, or cultural topic and join instantly.
Saved Events & Progress
A personalized dashboard allows users to save sessions, track upcoming events, and reflect on practiced topics.
Event Preview & Topic Goals
Each session includes learning objectives, cultural context, and vocabulary goals reinforcing structure and intentional practice.
Integrating AI, Smart Support for Real Conversations
AI enhances the experience by guiding learners toward sessions that align with their goals and progress.
AI-powered session recommendations guided by Duolingo mentors, offering personalized feedback to keep learning goals on track.
What I Learned
UX as a Driver of Gamification
UX principles can transform gamification into meaningful motivation, reducing cognitive load while sustaining long term engagement.
Brand Experience Through Design
Brand consistency goes beyond visuals tone, interaction, and micro-moments must feel native to the product ecosystem.
User-Centered Cultural Perspectives
Learners crave authentic cultural immersion. Designing for this means enabling real conversations, not just vocabulary drills.
Guidance for Future Projects
This project reinforced my ability to bridge UX research, product strategy, and brand identity to drive meaningful innovation.
Duolingo World: Case Study Preview
Explore the full UX flow and process.