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THE PLAYBOOKSSteal the strategy
Steal the strategy
behind great products.
A whole product perspective, inspired by a company that does it well. The direction, the plays that carry it out, and the judgment to know what fits yours.
Inspired by these companies. Not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
ONE MOVE, OR THE WHOLE SYSTEMA play solves one problem.
A play solves one problem.
A playbook connects them.
Use a play when you have one decision to make. Use a playbook when you want
the decisions to add up to one product people understand.
A play
Sourced · 3 cited sources
One move, for one decision.
+17%learning time after leagues launched
Weekly leagues↗
Overall learning time after Duolingo launched leagues, as reported by its former head of product; Duolingo's S-1 says “almost 20%”. Company-reported with the basis unstated, and not tied to a test.
A playbook
A whole direction, connected.
The direction
A marketing strategy inspired by Duolingo: build motivation, make progress rewarding, and give people a reason to return to your app.
The plays, connected
- Placement test as a level check
- Weekly leagues
- Reminder rotation
- Memory-model review queue
WHAT YOU GETOne direction.
One direction.
The plays to get there.
The Duolingo playbook, at a glance.
THE DUOLINGO PLAYBOOK
Make your app addicting.
HABITS · MOTIVATION · RETENTION
- The direction
A marketing strategy inspired by Duolingo: build motivation, make progress rewarding, and give people a reason to return to your app.
- What fits your product
Where the approach works, and where it breaks.
- How to make it yours
Keep the reason, change the tactic.
BORROW THE REASON, NOT THE STREAKWhat a savings app
What a savings app
takes from Duolingo.
An example: the Duolingo playbook applied to a product that is nothing like it.
Keep the reason, change what doesn’t fit.
- 01A meaningful goal
Start with something that matters.
Borrow a clear learning goal, not a daily streak.
- 02An achievable first step
Make the first step small.
Translate a short first lesson into one affordable action.
- 03Visible progress
Celebrate how far they’ve come.
Recognize a meaningful milestone, not transaction frequency or someone else’s savings total.
- 04A supportive return
Leave the door open.
Keep encouragement; drop the lost-streak penalty.
WITH YOUR CODING AGENTFour ways to
Four ways to
put it to work.
Before you build, while you decide, after you ship, and on the way to launch.
- 01
Plan
Adapt the approach to your idea before you build.
Use the Duolingo-inspired playbook to plan my savings app before I build it.
- 02
Advise
Work through a product decision with context.
Should a missed week reset someone’s progress? Check it against the playbook.
- 03
Review
Check whether a feature still serves your direction.
Does this onboarding still serve the direction we agreed?
- 04
Launch
Connect your positioning to a first launch plan.
Turn the positioning into a first launch plan.
ON THE SHELF NOW
Pick a perspective.
More ship as the plays underneath them are researched.
- THE DUOLINGO PLAYBOOKMake your app addicting.
Duolingo
Free to read in fullMake your app addicting.
- THE STRAVA PLAYBOOKTurn your users into a community.
Strava
Preview free · whole for membersTurn your users into a community.
ABOUT THE PLAYBOOKS
Questions, answered.
What is a playbook?
A whole product direction, inspired by a company that does it well: where to head, the plays that get you there, and what fits your product.
How is a playbook different from a play?
A play is one move for one decision. A playbook connects several plays into a direction for one kind of product. Every play inside still works on its own. More about plays.
Is this about copying Duolingo?
No. A playbook borrows the reason behind what a company does, then changes the tactic to fit you. Playbooks are inspired by these companies, not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Which playbooks are available?
Duolingo, for habit and motivation, and Strava, for turning users into a community. More are on the way.
What is free?
The Duolingo playbook is free to read in full, with no account. Every other playbook shows a preview and opens in full for members. See pricing.
How do I use one with my coding agent?
Open the playbook and work through it with your agent: plan before you build, check a decision, review what you built, then plan the launch. See the whole workflow.
Can I use a playbook alongside my own strategy?
Yes. Each playbook says where its approach breaks, so your agent can flag a conflict before changing a direction you already agreed.
Start with
Duolingo.
Make your app addicting. Free to read in full, no account needed.