A Backstage Pass to UX
Sparking Conversations with Digital Marketers on Process, Values, and Feedback at Connections
Salesforce hosted its annual Connections conference in Atlanta across three action-packed days in May. Connections is a digital marketing event with keynote speakers, hands-on training sessions, and networking opportunities for marketing professionals of all positions in a variety of industries. The Marketing Cloud UX team was there in a big way! We set up a User Experience area in the main Expo Hall with various activities to connect with our customers. Through our presence at Connections, we aimed to engage customers with opportunities to have fun, get to know our team and our UX process, and shape the future of the Marketing Cloud.
Sharing our UX Process
One of our goals this year was to give customers a glimpse into the craft and rigor that goes into our world-class user experience practice at Salesforce. We had two demo stations where UX team members walked customers through a holistic flow of our process. Our story began with research and flowed into ideation, sketching, wireframing, prototyping, and more research and testing. Visual representations of each step were easily demonstrated from a Salesforce UX Connections site available at each demo station. These visual demonstrations featured examples of designs at various fidelities, including sketches, wireframes, and final visual design.
The demo flow sparked conversations covering each of the primary disciplines within Salesforce UX: research, design, and architecture. Customers left with a better understanding of how UX research truly informs our decision making when designing more efficient and easy-to-use products. They were able to see first-hand how their feedback paired with the application of our design principles drives an iterative design process. Following each demo, customers were offered the opportunity to join our UX research participant database. The UX Research team recruits people through this database to learn more about customer needs and the effectiveness of designs.
Connecting with our Customers
Product feedback cards offered attendees a relaxing coloring activity on one side and a space for product feedback on the other. Through these cards we collected colorful designs and important insights into how our customers are using (or want to use) our products. We also recruited 286 new research participants!
Our research team also held product-focused sessions in a designated research room outside of the Expo Hall. Over 200 customers attended these sessions, in which they were able to meet with the design and product teams and get a sneak peak into the future of a variety of Marketing Cloud products, including Audience Builder, Email Studio, Journey Builder, MobilePush, and Marketing Cloud Connector.
Customer research sessions are mutually beneficial for the UX team and Marketing Cloud customers. The UX team is able to gather substantial amounts of valuable customer feedback, which leads to insights that guide our customer-centered design process and ensures we are designing and building products that truly meet our customers’ needs. Our customers are able to not only get a sneak peak of current product roadmaps and design work, but also have a direct pipeline to the teams that design and build the products they use every day.
Having Fun and Giving Back
In addition to our customer research activities and demo stations, the Marketing Cloud UX team continued our commitment to philanthropy in a fun, high-speed way. We had a bluetooth race car track with cars controlled by iPad apps. After participating in our prototype demos and research activities, attendees got the chance to join a 15-lap remote control car race. All participants were able to choose from one of five local Atlanta charities to donate to on their behalf. We donated $25 for each first place winner and $10 for each participant who came in second. By the end of Connections, we donated a total of $1,450, split amongst the following non-profits:
- Furkids, Inc. (Spay/neuter a cat or dog)
- Paws Atlanta (Microchip a homeless dog or cat)
- Camp Sunshine (Provide games and prizes for children with cancer and their families)
- Drawchange (Art supplies to empower children)
- I Care Atlanta (Feed a homeless family in Atlanta for a week)
This activity not only allowed participants to have a fun break from other conference activities, but also left them feeling great about raising money for local charities.
Creating a Mutually Beneficial Experience
Overall the UX activities were a huge success for both UX team members and customers. The UX team left Connections with hundreds of new research participants, making it easier for us to connect with the right customers for each research endeavor. Meanwhile, Salesforce customers experienced a detailed behind-the-scenes look at how the products they use every day are designed and built. Letting customers into our design and research process gave them a platform to engage with us and have input into the future of our products, which is a win-win situation for everybody.
Make sure to look for us at Dreamforce 2016 (October 4–7) in San Francisco and at Connections 2017 (June 13–15) in Chicago!
Follow us at @SalesforceUX.
Want to work with us? Contact uxcareers@salesforce.com
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