To become a certified Salesforce UX Designer, you need to pass the Salesforce Certified User Experience Designer exam. In this article, we will provide an exam outline, resources, and additional tips to help you prepare for the Salesforce UX Designer certification exam.
The Salesforce Certified Designer program is created to provide designers with the skills and knowledge they need to design effective user interfaces and experiences within the Salesforce platform. The certification program covers topics such as design thinking, user research, prototyping, usability testing, and accessibility.
By obtaining a Salesforce certification as a UX designer, you can demonstrate to potential clients that you have the expertise and knowledge to design effective user experiences within the Salesforce platform. This can be especially valuable for clients who use Salesforce as their primary CRM platform or for clients who are considering migrating to Salesforce.
- Improve User Experience: As a Salesforce certified designer, you can apply your knowledge of design thinking and user research to design intuitive and user-friendly interfaces that improve the overall user experience. This can help clients improve user adoption and engagement, which can lead to better business outcomes.
- Streamline Processes: By understanding how Salesforce works and how it can be integrated with other systems, you can design interfaces that streamline processes and improve efficiency for clients. This can help clients save time and resources, and can ultimately lead to better business outcomes.
UX Designer exam details:
- 60 multiple-choice questions;
- 105 minutes to complete the exam;
- Score to pass 65%;
- Registration fee: USD 200.
Exam Outline.Sections that are covered in the exam
The Salesforce Certified User Experience Designer exam measures a candidate’s knowledge and skills related to the following objectives. Candidates should have hands-on experience utilizing UX design concepts on the Salesforce Platform with knowledge and expertise in each of the areas below.
Discovery: 13%
The topic covers a wide range of skills and techniques related to user experience design and business analysis. Also, this topic provides a broad overview of many of the key skills and techniques necessary for effective user experience design.
The module covers important skills such as identifying the appropriate research methodology and tools for designing a solution, gathering requirements and planning strategies based on user experiences, understanding Salesforce UX personas and their typical processes, and identifying how Salesforce can add value to user experiences.
Modules that topic includes:
User Adoption Metrics: This module focuses on how to measure user adoption of a product or solution, and provides guidance on how to use metrics to identify areas for improvement.
User Story Creation: This module covers the process of creating user stories, which are a key tool for capturing user needs and requirements.
Innovation Customer Discovery: This module provides an overview of the customer discovery process, which involves gathering feedback and insights from potential users in order to identify opportunities for innovation.
Innovation Ideation & Prototyping: This module covers techniques for generating and testing ideas, including the use of design thinking and rapid prototyping.
Innovation Solution: This module focuses on how to develop and implement innovative solutions, including techniques for validating and refining ideas.
UX Research Basics: This module provides an introduction to user experience research, including techniques for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability tests.
Process Mapping for Business Analysts: This module covers the process of mapping out business processes in order to identify areas for improvement and optimize workflows.
UX Personas for Salesforce: This module focuses on the use of personas in user experience design, and provides guidance on how to create and use personas to inform design decisions.
UX fundamentals: 16%
UX (User Experience) fundamentals cover the principles and practices of designing user-friendly interfaces on the Salesforce Platform. Topics include user-centered design, research, information and interaction design, visual design, accessibility, usability testing, and design thinking. The goal is to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge to design effective and satisfying user experiences on Salesforce, leading to better business outcomes.
Overall, this topic covers a range of skills and techniques related to designing and developing Salesforce applications and user experiences, including customization, accessibility, and branding.
Modules that topic includes:
Demo Storytelling: This module provides guidance on how to effectively demonstrate product features and capabilities through storytelling, including the use of personas and user scenarios.
Branded Mobile Apps with Mobile Publisher: This module covers the process of creating branded mobile apps using Salesforce Mobile Publisher, including how to customize app icons, splash screens, and other branding elements.
Lightning Experience Customization: This module focuses on how to customize the Lightning Experience interface, including how to create custom themes, modify page layouts, and add custom components.
Build a Custom Theme Layout Component for Experience Builder Sites: This module covers how to create a custom theme layout component using Experience Builder, including how to define a layout and add custom styling.
Designing for Web Accessibility: This topic focuses on creating web interfaces that are accessible to people with disabilities. It involves using color contrast and typography that are easy to read, ensuring that interactive elements are large enough to be easily clicked or tapped, and providing keyboard navigation for users who cannot use a mouse. Designing for web accessibility also involves using proper semantic HTML markup, creating accessible forms, and providing captions or transcripts for multimedia content.
Writing for Web Accessibility: This topic focuses on creating web content that is accessible to people with disabilities, such as visual impairments, cognitive impairments, and motor impairments. It involves using clear and concise language, avoiding jargon and technical terms, and structuring content in a way that is easy to understand and navigate. Writing for web accessibility also involves using alternative text for image
Human-centered design: 12%
Human-centered design involves learning and understanding the principles and practices of designing products, services, and systems that prioritize the needs and perspectives of end-users. Human-centered design is an approach that emphasizes understanding the user's experiences, behaviors, and needs to create solutions that are intuitive, effective, and enjoyable to use.
In the context of Salesforce, human-centered design is a critical component of creating user interfaces and experiences that are tailored to the specific needs of a customer's business. This can involve understanding how users interact with the platform, identifying pain points or areas for improvement, and implementing design solutions that address those needs.
Overall, the goal of the Salesforce exam preparation on human-centered design is to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to design Salesforce solutions that prioritize user needs, resulting in higher levels of user adoption, satisfaction, and business impact.
Modules that topic includes:
Relationship Design: This module focuses on the importance of designing for relationships between customers, partners, and employees in the Salesforce ecosystem. It covers topics such as building trust, fostering collaboration, and optimizing workflows.
Design Thinking for Sales: This module covers how to use design thinking principles to improve the sales process and create better customer experiences. It includes techniques for empathizing with customers, defining problems, ideating solutions, prototyping, and testing.
Ethics by Design: This module covers the importance of designing with ethics in mind, including how to identify ethical considerations and design solutions that are respectful of users and stakeholders. It includes topics such as privacy, data security, and user consent.
Conversation Design: This module focuses on designing effective conversational interfaces, including chatbots and voice assistants. It covers topics such as user personas, dialogue design, and user testing.
Inclusive Design: This module covers the importance of designing for diversity and inclusion, including how to create solutions that work for users of all backgrounds and abilities. It covers topics such as accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and designing for users with disabilities.
Declarative design: 27%
Declarative Design is a topic in Salesforce that focuses on using declarative tools to design and build applications on the platform. Declarative tools allow users to create and customize solutions without writing code. There are a lot of modules that include practical tasks that are very useful for understanding how the platform is working and its logic.
The Salesforce exam preparation on Declarative Design may cover topics such as creating custom objects, fields, and page layouts; configuring business rules and validation rules; creating workflows and approval processes; and designing reports and dashboards. It may also cover integration with external systems, data management, and security.
Overall, the Declarative Design is to help individuals leverage the point-and-click tools available on the Salesforce platform to create customized solutions that meet the specific requirements of their organization.
Modules that topic includes:
User Engagement: This topic focuses on creating engaging and intuitive user experiences that encourage user adoption and improve productivity. It involves understanding user needs and preferences, designing user interfaces that are easy to use and navigate, and incorporating feedback from users to continuously improve the user experience.
Systems Design with the Lightning Design System: This topic focuses on designing and developing systems using the Lightning Design System, which is a set of design guidelines and resources for creating responsive and accessible user interfaces on the Salesforce platform. It involves understanding the key principles and components of the Lightning Design System and using them to create consistent and effective user experiences.
App Customization Lite: This topic focuses on customizing the Salesforce mobile app using the App Customization Lite tool. It involves understanding the key features and capabilities of the tool, such as custom branding, navigation, and layout options, and using them to create a custom mobile app that meets the specific needs of your organization.
Lightning Experience Features: This topic focuses on the features and capabilities of the Lightning Experience, which is the modern and responsive user interface for the Salesforce platform. It involves understanding the key components of the Lightning Experience, such as the App Launcher, Home page, and Record pages, and using them to create engaging and effective user experiences.
Salesforce Adoption Strategies: This topic focuses on strategies and best practices for promoting user adoption of the Salesforce platform. It involves understanding the key factors that influence user adoption, such as training, communication, and incentives, and using them to create a culture of adoption and engagement.
Visualforce & Lightning Experience: This topic focuses on the differences and similarities between Visualforce and the Lightning Experience, and how to create user interfaces using both technologies. It involves understanding the key features and capabilities of each technology and choosing the best one for the specific needs of your project.
Salesforce B2B Commerce Basics is a set of resources and guidelines provided by Salesforce to help businesses build and manage their B2B e-commerce operations using the Salesforce platform. The resource covers a range of topics related to B2B e-commerce, including how to design and build a website, manage inventory and pricing, and fulfill orders. It also includes guidance on how to customize and extend the functionality of the Salesforce platform to meet the unique needs of a business.
Introduction to Declarative Design: This module provides an overview of declarative design and its benefits. It covers the key declarative tools available on the Salesforce platform, including the Lightning App Builder and the Process Builder.
Lightning App Builder: This module focuses on using the Lightning App Builder to create custom applications and pages on the Salesforce platform. It covers topics such as adding components, customizing layouts, and configuring page properties.
Process Builder: This module covers how to use the Process Builder to automate business processes on the Salesforce platform. It includes topics such as creating and managing processes, defining criteria, and setting actions.
Flow Basics: This module covers how to use Flow to automate complex business processes on the Salesforce platform. It covers topics such as creating and managing flows, defining variables, and setting actions.
Testing: 11%
This topic consists of two links to materials:
- One of them is “Welcome to Design thinking” which discusses a workshop where UX designers from Salesforce collaborated with Bay Area high school students to explore the principles and processes of design thinking. The article highlights the importance of empathy and user-centered design in creating meaningful products and experiences and emphasizes the value of involving diverse perspectives and voices in the design process. The workshop also underscored the potential of design thinking to empower young people and foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and a passion for design.
- The second link "In App Feedback" leads to LDS guidelines. "The In App Feedback" is a design pattern for collecting user feedback within mobile apps. The framework includes a set of guidelines for implementing in-app feedback in a user-friendly and effective manner, as well as a collection of best practices for designing and deploying feedback forms and surveys.
Testing is crucial in UX design because it helps to identify any usability issues, gather feedback from users, and ensure that the design meets the needs and expectations of the target audience. By conducting various types of tests, such as usability testing, A/B testing, and accessibility testing, designers can validate their assumptions and make informed decisions to improve the user experience.
Note:
"Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug: This book is a classic in the UX field and covers the importance of testing and how to conduct usability tests.
"The User Experience Team of One" by Leah Buley: This book is a great resource for designers who are working on small teams or as solo practitioners. It covers the basics of UX testing and how to incorporate it into the design process.
Remember that testing is an ongoing process and should be incorporated throughout the design cycle. By continually testing and refining the design, designers can create products that meet the needs and expectations of their users.
Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS): 21%
Lightning Design System Basics is a set of guidelines and resources provided by Salesforce for designing and building web applications using the Lightning Design System (LDS). The resource includes a range of pre-built, customizable components that can help streamline the design process, as well as guidance on how to implement these components in a variety of web development frameworks.
Lightning Design System covers the foundational concepts, principles, and components of this design system for building user interfaces on the Salesforce platform. The topics covered include:
- Lightning Design System Basics includes the fundamentals of the Lightning Design System, such as its philosophy, design principles, and best practices for designing effective user interfaces.
- Lightning Web Components covers the use of the Lightning Web Components framework to create reusable, modular components that can be used in custom applications.
- Charts cover the use of charts to display data in an easy-to-understand format, using the Lightning Design System's pre-built chart components.
- Data Entry covers the design and implementation of user-friendly forms for data entry using the Lightning Design System.
- Empty State covers the design of empty states, which are the screens or messages that are displayed to users when there is no content to show.
- Iconography covers the use of icons in user interfaces, including the Lightning Design System's pre-built icon library and best practices for using icons effectively.
- Scenarios cover the use of the Lightning Design System to design user interfaces for common scenarios, such as onboarding new users or creating a support case.
LDS is to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to design effective and visually appealing user interfaces on the Salesforce platform, using the pre-built components and design guidelines provided by the Lightning Design System.
Generally, the exam is designed to test your knowledge and skills in the following areas:
- User-Centered Design
- User Research
- Interaction Design
- Visual Design
- Usability Testing
- Design Implementation
- Salesforce Lightning Design System
- Mobile Design
There are also a few pieces of advice about topics that you clearly should know before the exam:
- Difference between sales console vs service console. When do you use the sales console, what are the features of the sales console? How do you personalize something inside salesforce using favorites or navigation bars?
- User adoption. UX designers should clearly understand that user adoption is a critical component of the success of any product or service. User adoption refers to the degree to which users embrace and utilize a product or service. Overall, UX designers should know how important to prioritize user adoption throughout the design process to ensure that your product or service is successful in the long term.
- Qualitative and Quantitative research. What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research? When would you use qualitative research methods versus quantitative research methods? How can the results of qualitative and quantitative research be applied in UX design and development?
- Everything about In-App guidance. What is In-App guidance and how does it enhance the user experience? What are some common use cases for In-App guidance in Salesforce, and how can it help address user pain points? What are the key design principles and considerations when implementing In-App guidance in Salesforce?
- Card sorting, Tree testing, and A/B-testing. You need to learn the differences between these types of testing. When would you use those research methods?
- You must focus on the Lightning Design System (LDS). Read everything about Components, Blueprints, Token iconography, and Themes. What are SLDS components and how are they used in designing user interfaces on Salesforce? How do SLDS blueprints help in designing consistent and efficient layouts across different pages and applications? What is Token iconography in SLDS, and how is it used to enhance the design of user interfaces? How can SLDS themes be customized and applied to create a consistent look and feel across different applications and pages?
You obviously need to know all these topics because questions about them will appear on the exam.
Resources
We suggest using the following resources to prepare for the exam:
It is an official trailmix for this certification. It will give you plenty of additional information related to the exam.
Cert Prep: Salesforce User Experience Designer is a learning path that helps individuals prepare for the Salesforce User Experience Designer certification exam. This path covers various topics related to user experience (UX) design on the Salesforce platform, such as user-centered design, research, information and interaction design, visual design, accessibility, usability testing, and design thinking.
The learning path includes a series of modules, each focused on a specific topic, such as "Discovery," "UX Fundamentals," "Human-Centered Design," and "Design Systems." These modules provide learners with the necessary skills and knowledge to design effective and satisfying user experiences on Salesforce, leading to better business outcomes.
In addition, the learning path includes hands-on practice exercises, quizzes, and practice exams to help learners reinforce their understanding of the concepts covered in the modules. The ultimate goal of this learning path is to help individuals gain the knowledge and skills needed to pass the Salesforce User Experience Designer certification exam and become certified Salesforce UX designers.
Additional resources
Design Tools: Familiarize yourself with design tools such as Sketch, Adobe XD, or Figma. These tools can be used to create design solutions that are necessary for the Design Implementation section of the exam.
User Experience Blogs: Reading user experience blogs can help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the field. Some popular UX blogs include
UX Design https://uxdesign.cc/
Smashing Magazine https://www.smashingmagazine.com/
Nielsen Norman Group https://www.nngroup.com/
Online Courses: Platforms such as Udemy https://www.udemy.com/course/6x-salesforce-user-experience-ux-designer-tests/
Pros&Cons
Pros:
- Industry-recognized credential: The Salesforce Certified User Experience Designer credential is widely recognized in the industry and can help UX designers stand out in a competitive job market.
- Comprehensive preparation: The preparation program covers a wide range of topics and skills related to UX design, including user-centered design, research, information and interaction design, visual design, accessibility, usability testing, and design thinking.
- Hands-on experience: The preparation program includes hands-on experience with Salesforce tools and technologies, allowing designers to gain practical skills and knowledge.
- Access to resources: The preparation program provides access to a variety of resources, including online training, practice exams, and study groups, to help designers prepare for the certification exam.
Cons:
- Cost: The preparation program and certification exam can be expensive, which may be a barrier for some designers.
- Time commitment: Preparing for the certification exam requires a significant time commitment, which may be challenging for designers who are already balancing work and other responsibilities.
- Technical skills: The certification exam covers technical skills related to Salesforce, which may be challenging for designers who do not have a background in technology or programming.
- Limited scope: While the certification exam covers a wide range of UX design skills and topics, it is focused specifically on designing user experiences for the Salesforce platform, which may not be relevant for designers working with other technologies or platforms.
Conclusion
Preparing for the Salesforce Certified User Experience Designer Credential is a valuable investment for individuals seeking to enhance their skills and knowledge in designing effective user experiences on the Salesforce platform. Through the preparation program, individuals can learn about user-centered design principles, research methods, information and interaction design, visual design, accessibility, usability testing, and design thinking. The program also includes modules on specific topics, such as branded mobile apps, lightning experience customization, and web accessibility.
Overall, obtaining the Salesforce User Experience Designer Credential can lead to better business outcomes by improving user adoption, satisfaction, and overall experience. It also serves as a professional credential that can enhance an individual's career opportunities in the field of user experience design. While the program may require a significant time and financial investment, the benefits of obtaining the credential are well worth it for those looking to advance their skills and knowledge in this area.
Wish you good luck in preparing for and passing the exam!
