Salesforce Certified User Experience (UX) Designer – Complete Winter '26 Guide

Design Thinking Process: Five Phases

Design Thinking is the core framework: Empathise (observe users, conduct interviews, develop empathy maps), Define (synthesise research into a problem statement — "How Might We" framing), Ideate (brainstorm solutions without judgment), Prototype (build low-fi or hi-fi representations), Test (validate with real users and iterate). The exam presents a UX activity (e.g., "interviewing stakeholders about pain points") and asks which phase it belongs to.

UX Research Methods: Qualitative vs Quantitative

Qualitative methods explore the "why": user interviews, contextual inquiry (observing users in their real environment), and moderated usability testing. Quantitative methods measure the "what": surveys, click analytics, and task completion rates. Card sorting tests how users categorise information (used to design navigation). Tree testing validates whether users can find content within a proposed structure. Affinity diagramming groups qualitative findings into themes. Know which method to select for a given research question.

Wireframes, Prototypes, and the Design Handoff

Low-fidelity wireframes communicate structure, hierarchy, and layout without visual polish — used for early stakeholder alignment. High-fidelity prototypes include visual design, real content, and interactive states — used for usability testing and developer handoff. The design handoff documents component specifications, spacing, and interaction behaviours. In Salesforce context, Experience Builder mockups and flow screens can be designed declaratively before development. Prototyping prevents rework by catching usability issues early.

Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 and Salesforce SLDS

WCAG 2.1 defines four principles (POUR): Perceivable (text alternatives for non-text content, sufficient colour contrast), Operable (keyboard navigation, no seizure-inducing animations), Understandable (clear labels, error messages, consistent navigation), Robust (compatible with assistive technologies). The Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) provides accessible, pre-built UI components that meet WCAG AA. The exam tests which WCAG principle applies to a given accessibility scenario.

Salesforce UX Tooling: Lightning App Builder and Dynamic Forms

Lightning App Builder enables drag-and-drop page composition — Home, Record, and App pages — using standard and custom components. Dynamic Forms move fields and sections from the page layout into the record page, enabling conditional visibility based on field values or user permissions. Dynamic Actions control button visibility with similar logic. Compact Layouts define the fields shown in record highlights, mobile previews, and related lists. Know the difference between page layouts (object-level, profile-based) and dynamic forms (page-level, condition-based).

Lightning Design System (SLDS)

Know the SLDS component library, design tokens, utility classes, and how SLDS ensures visual consistency across Salesforce. Understand when to use standard components vs. custom-styled components.

Accessibility Standards

Know WCAG 2.1 AA requirements: keyboard navigation, screen reader support (ARIA labels), color contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text), and how to use Salesforce Accessibility Checker to audit Lightning components.

User Research in Salesforce Projects

Know how to conduct user interviews, usability tests, and card sorting exercises for Salesforce page layout and navigation design. Understand how to translate findings into actionable design recommendations.

Page Layout & App Design

Know how to design Lightning page layouts: component placement, progressive disclosure, and how to use visibility rules to reduce cognitive load. Understand how the Lightning App Builder enables no-code page customization.

Prototyping & Testing

Know how to create wireframes and clickable prototypes for Salesforce configurations using tools like Figma or SLDS prototyping kits. Understand how to run usability tests with real Salesforce users.