Your Dreamforce Learning Adventure
Make the most out of Dreamforce learning, whether you’re there in person or not
Updated July 2023
Dreamforce! Salesforce talks about it all year. Admins talk about it all year. People plan their lives around it. It’s a big deal!
In a post I wrote last year, we discussed how the people are what make Dreamforce so magical. But now we’ll talk about what makes Dreamforce so meaningful: the learning.
I don’t know about you, but every year I’m totally overwhelmed by the number of sessions you can choose from. There are keynotes, theater sessions, Circles of Success, workshops, celebrity speaker events, and more. Everywhere you go at Dreamforce, there’s something to see, someone to talk to, and something to learn. Thankfully, Salesforce has given us an agenda builder to manage all the possibilities.
Before you even get there, this will be your first Dreamforce activity — building your agenda.
What I’ve learned from building my agenda over the years is to add the things I’m most interested in while also trying to remain flexible since there will inevitably be timing conflicts. You’re going to want to add the major keynotes and any other special events (like Jennifer Hudson!) so that they are on your calendar. After that, I like to use the filters on the left of the agenda builder to find what I’m looking for. I usually start with the “role” filter. For me, that’s “architect,” and there have been more and more architect-focused sessions each year.
I love that this year they’ve added special tags on the sessions showing which ones will be available on Salesforce+! Pro tip: consider saving those sessions for when you get home so you have time to catch the ones that won’t be on-demand later.
Once you’ve added the most interesting sessions for your role, filter by products that you either use the most or are most interested in learning more about. I always filter for CRM Analytics, Service Cloud, and Commerce. Like a lot of people, this year I’ll be super focused on sessions that involve generative AI, and just AI in general. Be sure to catch the AI Cloud Keynote: Invest in the Future of Work with AI, also streaming on Salesforce+. Outside of the agenda builder, different products will typically provide Dreamforce trail maps with sessions specific to that product or service. These are super helpful and I love finding them on social media or in my email.
If any of your coworkers are also attending Dreamforce, it helps to do agenda planning together so you can divide and conquer. Maybe you each pick a role or each pick a product and focus on that. This way the company is getting the widest range of learning, and you can all compare notes when you get home.
Tips for maximized learning
When I’m looking for learning opportunities, I also try to pay attention to session duration. I don’t think there are any sessions over an hour, so you aren’t going to be diving very deep into any one topic. That said, knowing that 20-minute sessions are relatively high level while 40-minute sessions allow you to dive a little deeper (and leave room for questions) is really helpful. Ultimately, you want to make sure you’re setting yourself up to learn.
A few more key tips to consider:
- Don’t open your computer. When I do, I’ve found it’s very easy to start multi-tasking, and pretty soon I’m not paying attention anymore.
- Try not to live Tweet/Threads everything. I’m guilty of live Tweeting during sessions and again, I’m so busy listening for juicy announcements to Tweet that I don’t get much actual learning in.
- Stick with a notebook and your favorite pen or pencil. You can refer back to your notes later and you’ll pay more attention to the speaker.
- Take advantage of links or QR codes that are shown on screen, but save diving into them for later
- If you’re able, sign out of or set your status as away in your work messaging apps. I’m also guilty of working during sessions, even if it’s just on my phone.
- Go into your session with an open mind and prepare to be inspired!
It’s also important to remember that not all learning happens inside a session — I learn tons every year by visiting product booths and tables in and around the campus. There are often Salesforce employees, MVPs, community group leaders, and amazing volunteers standing by to answer questions, demo new features, and geek out about all things Salesforce.
Attending virtually
If you won’t be at Dreamforce in person, remember that you can attend via Salesforce+! You won’t have the same agenda builder experience, but you’ll be able to see what sessions and keynotes are streaming in the app.
I personally struggle with virtual conferences because I tend to multitask, thinking I can do 12 other things at the same time. If you’re going to be streaming Dreamforce, here are a few tips to help keep you engaged:
- Make time for Dreamforce! Put the sessions or keynotes you are most interested in on your calendar and try not to double book.
- Cast sessions to your television instead of sitting at your computer. This will help you disconnect and be able to give it your full attention.
- If you’re a social being, Twitter, Threads and LinkedIn will be exploding with content during Dreamforce. Keep an eye on what others are learning and sharing and have fun going down a rabbit hole.
- Keep an eye on Trailhead for fun quests and a special community badge!
With over a thousand sessions packed into three days, there’s something for everyone at Dreamforce, and much learning to be had and shared by all.
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