03 — CASE STUDY / 2026
Duolingo
A case study on habit formation, streak mechanics, and where gamification stops helping learners.
COMPANY — DuolingoROLE — PRODUCT MANAGEROUTCOME — CASE STUDYDECK — CANVA
(a) — WALKTHROUGH
How this study was done
Context
Daily engagement is the headline metric, but the real goal is learning. I examined where those two diverge and what that costs long term.
Approach
I segmented learners by intent, traced the reward loops each segment responds to, and looked for the point where motivation mechanics start to substitute for progress.
What I proposed
Adjustments to the loop that keep the habit intact while tying rewards more tightly to demonstrated learning, with guardrail metrics so retention isn't traded away blindly.
How to read the deck
The deck above sets out the segments, the loop analysis, the proposed changes, and the experiment design.