# Platform User Experience Designer Study Guide

*Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer*

The CertifyForce Platform User Experience Designer study guide covers the official Salesforce Platform User Experience Designer exam outline in 22 units across all 6 exam sections, one unit per exam-guide topic. The exam itself has 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored, a 105-minute limit and a 65% passing score, and its largest section is Declarative Design at 27%. Every unit is verified against official Salesforce documentation, cites its sources, and links to the practice questions that test it. Last updated October 16, 2026.

## Contents

### Discovery (13% of the exam)

- [Choosing a research method and planning the study](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/choosing-a-research-method-and-planning-the-study): How to match a research question to a method (behavioral vs attitudinal, qualitative vs quantitative; surveys, interviews, contextual inquiry, focus groups, heuristic review), what a research plan contains, who to recruit and how many, and how to keep interviewer bias and the Hawthorne effect out of the data. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/choosing-a-research-method-and-planning-the-study))
- [Current-state mapping, gap analysis and research synthesis](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/current-state-mapping-gap-analysis-and-research-synthesis): How a UX designer turns the current experience into requirements: review the problem history, map the as-is process (SIPOC, UPN hierarchy), audit existing content, run a gap analysis, find root causes with the Five Whys, elicit undocumented requirements, then synthesize findings and tell them as a story. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/current-state-mapping-gap-analysis-and-research-synthesis))
- [Salesforce persona archetypes and their daily processes](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/salesforce-persona-archetypes-and-their-daily-processes): The Salesforce sales, service, Marketing Cloud Engagement and Experience Cloud personas, the daily work that tells them apart, why Salesforce builds abstract research-based archetypes, and how to pick a primary persona and target the right personas for a change. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/salesforce-persona-archetypes-and-their-daily-processes))
- [Business value, roadmaps and stakeholder buy-in](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/business-value-roadmaps-and-stakeholder-buy-in): How a UX designer shows the value of a Salesforce experience: the four value levers of a business case, a phased roadmap that starts with a minimum loveable product, persona-driven licensing, training and research, Knowledge-Centered Service with Lightning Knowledge as a worked value example, and the right answer to each executive objection. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/discovery/business-value-roadmaps-and-stakeholder-buy-in))

### UX Fundamentals (16% of the exam)

- [Choosing UX artifacts and prototype fidelity](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/choosing-ux-artifacts-and-prototype-fidelity): Which UX artifact answers which question (journey map, service blueprint, ecosystem map, empathy map, mental model, storyboard), what a design brief and a Jobs to Be Done statement settle first, and how to pick prototype fidelity from the question you need answered. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/choosing-ux-artifacts-and-prototype-fidelity))
- [Brand consistency, style guides and user adoption](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/brand-consistency-style-guides-and-user-adoption): Why familiar branding raises adoption, how brand guidelines, style guides and design systems keep teams consistent, what Salesforce mobile app branding can and cannot change, and where brand colors must give way to contrast rules. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/brand-consistency-style-guides-and-user-adoption))
- [Accessible design: contrast, forms, focus and structure](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/accessible-design-contrast-forms-focus-and-structure): The accessibility rules a UX designer must design in: WCAG contrast ratios and their exemptions, never relying on color or sensory cues, visible labels and helpful errors, visible focus and keyboard paths, safe animation, headings, landmarks, link text and affordance. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/accessible-design-contrast-forms-focus-and-structure))
- [Designing for the Salesforce mobile app](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/designing-for-the-salesforce-mobile-app): Mobile design starts from mobile use cases: streamline what phone users see with navigation order, compact layouts and phone-specific Lightning pages, use App pages instead of desktop-only Home pages, pick the right Mobile Publisher, and test on real devices from a sandbox. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/ux-fundamentals/designing-for-the-salesforce-mobile-app))

### Human-Centered Design (12% of the exam)

- [Human-centered and relationship design with journey maps](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/human-centered-design/human-centered-and-relationship-design-with-journey-maps): What human-centered design is and how UX design, service design and Relationship Design differ; the desirable, feasible and viable sweet spot and the inclusive, sustainable and ethical criteria Relationship Design adds; the four mindsets; and how to scope, staff and run a journey-mapping workshop inside an agile delivery. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/human-centered-design/human-centered-and-relationship-design-with-journey-maps))
- [Inclusive design: exclusion, persona spectrum and bias](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/human-centered-design/inclusive-design-exclusion-persona-spectrum-and-bias): What inclusive design is and how it differs from universal design and accessibility standards; the three principles; the social definition of disability; the cycle of exclusion, exclusion habits and ability bias; exclusion experts, thick data and the persona spectrum; the business and leadership case; and Consequence Scanning from Ethics by Design. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/human-centered-design/inclusive-design-exclusion-persona-spectrum-and-bias))

### Declarative Design (27% of the exam)

- [Standard and custom objects, relationships and record types](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/standard-and-custom-objects-relationships-and-record-types): How a designer's data-model choices shape what users see and type: standard objects before custom ones, lookup vs master-detail vs hierarchical vs junction, roll-up summaries and cross-object formulas, Contacts to Multiple Accounts, and record types with their page layout assignment. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/standard-and-custom-objects-relationships-and-record-types))
- [Lightning record pages, Dynamic Forms and list views](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/lightning-record-pages-dynamic-forms-and-list-views): How a designer controls what a record page shows and in what order: page layout editor vs Lightning App Builder, compact layouts and the highlights panel, Tabs and related-record components, activation and device filters, Dynamic Forms visibility rules, list view charts and dynamic dashboards. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/lightning-record-pages-dynamic-forms-and-list-views))
- [Path, actions, flows and console productivity](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/path-actions-flows-and-console-productivity): Which declarative feature removes steps from a multi-step task: Path with key fields and guidance, Kanban, screen flows on quick actions, object-specific vs global actions and action layouts, mass quick actions, Dynamic Actions, lead conversion, and console split view, subtabs and macros. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/path-actions-flows-and-console-productivity))
- [Utility bar, navigation and app-wide settings](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/utility-bar-navigation-and-app-wide-settings): The app-wide settings that shape how users move through Salesforce: utility bar items and their limits, App Menu ordering, navigation bar landing pages, personalization and temporary tabs, global search Top Results, favorites, global publisher layouts, custom notifications from flows, and Lightning Experience keyboard shortcuts. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/utility-bar-navigation-and-app-wide-settings))
- [In-App Guidance, Help Menu and Learning Paths](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/in-app-guidance-help-menu-and-learning-paths): Which declarative help channel fits a need: floating, targeted and docked prompts, walkthroughs and their limits, scheduling and audience rules, In-App Guidance analytics, the custom Help Menu section, Learning Paths in the Guidance Center, and field-level help. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/in-app-guidance-help-menu-and-learning-paths))
- [Themes, app branding and Experience Cloud branding](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/themes-app-branding-and-experience-cloud-branding): Where each brand setting lives and what it reaches: the one active org theme in Themes and Branding (and the accessible brand color), per-app branding that overrides it, My Domain login page branding, and Experience Cloud branding with the Theme panel, branding sets, audiences and Login & Registration. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/declarative-design/themes-app-branding-and-experience-cloud-branding))

### Testing (11% of the exam)

- [Usability testing, prototypes and acceptance testing](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/testing/usability-testing-prototypes-and-acceptance-testing): How to validate a design with end users: task-based usability tests with realistic scenarios and at least five participants, prototype tests matched to what each fidelity can answer, testing-session plans that protect independent feedback, and user acceptance testing in a sandbox before go-live. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/testing/usability-testing-prototypes-and-acceptance-testing))
- [Card sorting, A/B and accessibility testing](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/testing/card-sorting-a-b-and-accessibility-testing): Which testing technique answers which question: card sorting and tree testing for information architecture, A/B and multivariate tests for live variants, usability benchmarks for before-and-after proof, and accessibility testing that pairs automated tools with keyboard and screen reader checks. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/testing/card-sorting-a-b-and-accessibility-testing))
- [Synthesizing feedback and managing design changes](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/testing/synthesizing-feedback-and-managing-design-changes): How to turn test feedback into managed design changes: synthesize patterns without losing one-off insights, keep facilitator bias out, write user stories with accessibility in the acceptance criteria and definition of done, respond to change the agile way, pick the right sandbox, and tell the findings as a story stakeholders act on. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/testing/synthesizing-feedback-and-managing-design-changes))

### Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) (21% of the exam)

- [SLDS purpose, principles and building blocks](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/salesforce-lightning-design-system-slds/slds-purpose-principles-and-building-blocks): What the Salesforce Lightning Design System is and why teams use it: an implementation-agnostic, open-source design system built from design tokens, utilities, guidelines and component blueprints, implemented by Lightning base components, guided by four design principles and supported by ambassadors, voice and tone, accessibility guidance and design tools. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/salesforce-lightning-design-system-slds/slds-purpose-principles-and-building-blocks))
- [SLDS patterns: messaging, states, icons and density](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/salesforce-lightning-design-system-slds/slds-patterns-messaging-states-icons-and-density): The SLDS 1 guidelines that make a custom UI behave like Lightning Experience: picking toasts, modals, popovers or inline text from the messaging framework, empty states and loading indicators, the 50/40-point color rule, icon types, labels and toggles, record layouts and display density, macropatterns, and lightningStylesheets for Visualforce. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/salesforce-lightning-design-system-slds/slds-patterns-messaging-states-icons-and-density))
- [Customizing components with styling hooks and utilities](https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/user-experience-designer/salesforce-lightning-design-system-slds/customizing-components-with-styling-hooks-and-utilities): Customizing Lightning components the supported SLDS 1 way: base components, utilities, styling hooks, then blueprints; why parent CSS can't reach a child's shadow DOM; deliberate token use; the responsive grid, visibility and truncation utilities; CSS hygiene and troubleshooting; SLDS in new Visualforce; buttons, links and states. ([markdown](https://www.certifyforce.com/md/study-guide/user-experience-designer/salesforce-lightning-design-system-slds/customizing-components-with-styling-hooks-and-utilities))

## Common questions about the Platform User Experience Designer study guide

### Is the Platform User Experience Designer study guide free?

Partly. Every unit's summary and its "What the exam expects", "Key facts" and "Check yourself" sections are free to read without an account. The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections, reading progress and unlimited timed mock exams come with the Platform User Experience Designer pack (USD $19).

### How current is the Platform User Experience Designer study guide?

It is written to the current official Salesforce Platform User Experience Designer exam outline, and each unit is checked against Salesforce documentation before it is published. The most recent update was October 16, 2026, and every unit shows its own last-updated date.

### How does the study guide map to the official Platform User Experience Designer exam guide?

There is one unit per topic in the official exam guide, grouped under its 6 weighted sections: Discovery (13%), UX Fundamentals (16%), Human-Centered Design (12%), Declarative Design (27%), Testing (11%), Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) (21%). Each unit quotes the exam objective it covers word for word.

### How do the practice questions link to the study guide?

Each unit lists the reviewed practice questions that test it (300 questions are linked across the guide), so you can read a topic and practice it in one click. After a practice exam, every missed question links back to the unit that teaches it.