How — and Why — I Became a Trailhead Ranger in Five Weeks
Like any good universe, the Salesforce universe is expansive, full of complex worlds and ecosystems, with glimmers of wonder and nebulous paradoxes sprinkled throughout. And here I am, somewhere in the expanse, gazing in awe, waving a flashlight around and trying to make some sense of it all.
What’s out there — and how can one designer possibly make a difference in such vastness? The answers can be found in my journey through Trailhead, and the story of how I ultimately became a Trailhead Ranger.
In the Beginning
My Trailhead journey began in my second week at the ’Force. My exceptional onboarding buddy, Alan Weibel, shined me on to Trailhead, and I was instantly hooked. The prospect of earning points, unlocking badges, and leveling up by completing quest-like modules was too much for my inner gamer to resist.
I eased into things with the Salesforce UX Onboarding Trailmix, which, as the name suggests, is a delightful mix of bite-sized content that’s great for designers new to the Ohana. The first module, Salesforce Personas, introduced me to the heroes who are our customers, and how they engage with the Salesforce platform. In under an hour, I found (one high-level) answer to the question “What is out there?” in the Salesforce universe. It was gratifying to earn those 500 points and the shiny badge, and to level up from Scout to Hiker after just one module. Curiosity drove me to knock out the next two modules, Use SLDS to Build a Prototype and Iterate on Your Prototype, in the next 20 minutes — and to earn another 1,000 points. My inner gamer was in deep.
Very soon thereafter, I’d racked up 2,650 points and four badges. “Oh yeah,” I thought. “I’m going to get to Level 99 in no time!” (Nerd tidbit: Level 99 is a common gaming reference, representing the highest attainable rank). And no, I had no idea what the highest rank on Trailhead was, nor what it would really take to get there. So, before hopping onto another module, I took a closer look at the Trailhead ranking system. Yeah, “Level 99,” in this case the rank of Ranger, was a ways away. Undaunted, I dove back in.
The Big Bang
It was about this time that a stray remark from a co-worker threw my mission to Ranger into hyperdrive: If you don’t know this, you’re not doing your job.
Now it turned out that I’d taken these words out of context — but the damage was done. I became a Trailhead acolyte. I roughed out a plan to make Ranger, calculating that if I spent an hour a day, seven days a week, focusing on 500-point projects, I could earn the 47,350 points necessary to become Ranger by the end of the month. In my master plan, I prioritized earning points over badges, figuring that badges are a dime a dozen and could be quickly accumulated once I reached my goal.
The Points Mission
So, where in the world might one efficiently earn 47,350 points? If you search for “Rack up points” on Trailhead you should see these gems nested in the results:
Major kudos to these two Trailblazers, Chris Duarte and Jennifer Hersom, who blazed the points-bonanza trail for all aspiring Rangers. At this point, their trails include a handful of older, less useful modules (such as VisualForce Basics and Accounts and Contacts for Classic), which I swapped out for newer options. And then there were the seemingly straightforward projects that very nearly led me to pop a vein, like Automate Simple Business Processes with Process Builder. Which brings me to the following advice:
- Technology (or inexplicable user error) can lead to frustration. Trailhead is no exception. Take a breather; have a cupcake.
- Sometimes you just have to fake it til you make it.
To reduce your frustration, keep in mind that many of the more complex Trailhead modules assume mastery of basic tools, so knowledge of tools such as Object Manager and Developer Console goes a long way. Know enough of both, and you can often reverse-engineer prerequisites for a project (see “fake it til you make it,” above).
And then there’s user error. One quick example among many: the nefarious Automate Simple Business Processes with Process module. Once I realized I was missing a basic “Account Shipping Address” field from the Account record, completing it was a breeze.
We Are Not Alone
I didn’t figure out how to add a missing field on my own — and I didn’t get to Ranger in five weeks on my own, either. In both cases, I had the knowledgebase of the massive Trailhead developer community at my back. One of the most important things I learned on my journey to Ranger was this: If you’re ever stuck on a technical project, don’t hesitate to tap into the Salesforce Developer Forums and lean on the combined wisdom of more than five million Trailblazers. The answer is out there — and if it isn’t, someone will join you on your search.
There are also boatloads of walkthroughs available on YouTube, all designed to help you accelerate your mission through the Rangerverse.
Connecting the Dots
As of this writing, I’ve been at Salesforce for five months. But it feels like I’ve been with the Ohana for much longer — in a good way. Taking a moment to look back and connect the dots, I see becoming Ranger as a big reason for that good feeling. Here are a few practices I picked up on my journey. I hope they help you as much as they have me:
- Build trust; support it with wisdom. It turns out the line “If you don’t know this, you’re not doing your job” was directed not at me but at the Salesforce Lightning Design System team once upon a time, referring to the absolute need that every designer know every pattern and component that underpins the Salesforce product. But it’s still relevant. If I don’t know a product, if I don’t know how users use it, if I don’t know how one product works with another, how can I possibly design anything meaningful, let alone improve on an existing design? Along with the points, badges, and swag I accumulated on my journey to Ranger, I also managed to learn a thing or two. My new knowledge has made conversations and meetings more productive, and given me a more thoughtful, inclusive perspective on Salesforce challenges. All of this boosts my efficacy as a designer and builds trust with my cross-cloud and cross-functional partners.
- Develop a statement of intent. I’m new to the Ohana and eager to learn; I want to help make delightful things happen and drive positive impact sooner rather than later. I saw my fast-track mission to Ranger as one of several ways I could demonstrate my commitment to learning and to the Ohana, while projecting some defining traits of who I am as a designer.
- Increase your visibility. The unexpected announcements that came when I reached Ranger (and even this opportunity to blog my experience) have given me a bit of visibility in our massive organization — exposure that could better my odds of being “in the running” for opportunities when they arise.
- Stay grounded. Ranger is only one of many “aha moments”; there’s so much out there in the Salesforce universe I don’t know, and the expanse of it is humbling. Keeping this in mind helps keep the door open for more inclusive conversations and deeper collaborations. Whatever I know, there will always be someone else who knows so much that I don’t — and who can help me learn more and do more, paving the way for more interesting outcomes. And oh, there’s still Level 99+! Oh yeah! A shiny golden hoodie awaits the few who make extraordinary accomplishments with Trailhead.
- Ignite the team. A recent study showed that folks who spend more than five hours a week building up knowledge are 39% more productive, 47% less stressed, and 21% happier at work. My reaching Ranger has inspired others around me to level up. I’m mega-proud of my UX Mobile Platform team, 5 of 6 of whom are now Rangers. Shout out to Danny Fawaz, Dan Winterberg, David Klein, Ed Ngai, and Isabela Klaus for taking on the Ranger challenge and enabling a fun culture of learning.
Tag, You’re It
There are endless new worlds out there, and all are yours to explore. Take the Ranger challenge today — and may your journey to Ranger be a delightful one.
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Want to work with us? Contact uxcareers@salesforce.com
Check out the Salesforce Lightning Design System
Special thanks to Alan Weibel and Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet.
