CASE STUDY REFLECTIONS: 

Examining how persuasive design, gamification, and commercial messaging converge to shape user habits is fundamental to understanding modern interaction design. As part of our COMM2442 coursework, we were tasked with developing an exhaustive communication strategy profile and user experience evaluation for an interactive digital platform. I selected Duolingo to investigate how high-growth mobile products navigate the Intention-Action Gap. 

I chose this platform because its core design philosophy, "motivation is the hardest part of learning," provides a rich lens for evaluating the tension between behavioural engineering and ethical user experience. While the product's rapid A/B experimentation and character-driven interactions drive massive retention metrics, my research unpacks the human cost: how aggressive loss-aversion loops, mascot guilt cues, and monetisation barriers can inadvertently transform a self-improvement habit into an anxious chore.