We ran 100's of experiments @ Duolingo in 2022.

These 4 helped were big for retention:

1) Widgets that “come to life”

Our take: Duo gets progressively more frustrated throughout the day if you haven’t done your lesson.

2) App Icons as a communication channel

Our take: A special app icon, unlocked after reaching a 30 day streak. The icon emphasizes your streak status

(So every time you unlock your phone, and see the new icon, you are a bit more motivated to extend your streak)

3) Highlighting commitment

Our take: When a user selects streak goal we ask them to “Commit to their goal” instead of a simple “Continue”

4) Celebrating Perfection

Our take: A new gamification mechanic called “Perfect streak week” for those who go above and beyond to ensure they do their lesson every single day.

(Our committed users ❤️ showing these off!)

Follow @edwin_bodge @chu_on_it @jasssyzhang @samcwl to learn more about the top secret experiments we run at Duolingo