Discovery13% of the exam
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.
Given a scenario, demonstrate how to gather requirements and plan strategy given current user experiences.
~7 min read · 10 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Start from existing evidence (the problem history) before planning new research or redesigning anything.
- Map the current experience end to end, choosing the right diagram (SIPOC, detailed map, value stream map, capability model) and keeping each UPN diagram readable.
- Scope a content audit (full, targeted, representative) to the project.
- Compare current and future states with a gap analysis, and find root causes with the Five Whys.
- Elicit requirements that live only in people's heads, then analyze findings and present them as a story.
- Key terms: as-is map (the documented current process); SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers); UPN (Universal Process Notation); gap analysis (what differs between current and desired state); elicitation (drawing information out of stakeholders).
Key facts
Problem history
- Detail
- Bugs, tickets, surveys, feature requests, logs with drop-off rates
Fix after mapping
- Detail
- Don't fix processes until the as-is state is fully mapped
Who maps
- Detail
- The people who use the process are the experts
Map scope
- Detail
- Can cut across departments and include external partners
UPN diagram size
- Detail
- No more than 8-10 activity boxes; drill down; no limit on levels
SIPOC
- Detail
- Scopes a complex process before a detailed map
Targeted audit
- Detail
- Quick, narrow; one project, journey or campaign
Gap analysis
- Detail
- What differs between current and desired state
Five Whys
- Detail
- Keep asking why to reach the underlying reason
Analysis steps
- Detail
- Code sentiment, find trends and differences, map to solutions
Story stages
- Detail
- Opening, challenge-and-solution cycles, positive conclusion
Sources for this section (9)
- Define Your Research Plantrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Use Process Mapping Tools and Softwaretrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Get Started with Process Mappingtrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Speak the Process Mapping Languagetrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Evaluate Existing Contenttrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Explore Techniques for Information Discoverytrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Make Decisions and Resolve Conflictstrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Analyze Your Findingstrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Tell Your Story with Feelingtrailhead.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why should a designer review support tickets and drop-off logs before interviewing anyone?
- When is a targeted content audit the right scope?
- Why does a UPN map stay readable however complex the process is?
- What final step turns research analysis into next steps?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
Keep reading with the Platform User Experience Designer pack
- Core concepts
- Exam traps
- Worked scenario
The pack includes:
- All 22 lessons of the Platform User Experience Designer guide, with reading progress
- Interactive decision walks and step-by-step sequence steppers
- Inline practice questions and one-click topic practice (10 questions for this lesson)
- An official source cited for every claim
- An AI tutor that answers from the guide
- Unlimited timed practice exams