Crafting User Experience Flows for SaaS Applications

This is a visual representation of why your team hates Salesforce 😡... Throughout my Salesforce journey, I've seen it all (Insert "Emotional Damage" meme 🫠). One common issue I see often are Flows that "work," but that are not optimized for scale or user experience. They cause ugly error messages, delays on future iteration, & inaccurate data that plague users on a daily basis. Check out the Flow examples below: Version 1 works. It's simple, has only 2 elements, so what's the big deal? To find out, let's look at the #'d boxes in Version 2: 1️⃣ Element Descriptions: Please...for the love of Benioff... document the "Why." Each element allows you to write a description, which explains what it's doing technically and why it's important to the process you're building. This context is essential for future changes and for those that come after you. If another admin can't read your descriptions and understand what it's doing, you haven't documented enough! 2️⃣ Decision Elements after Get Records Elements: In Version 1, the "Get Account Id" element finds a related Account record associated with the triggering Opportunity. What happens if the criteria for the search doesn't find a record? ❌ Flow Error ❌. By checking to see if the Get Records element finds what it's looking for, you can prevent a poor user experience and ensure other automation runs on schedule. 3️⃣ Fault Paths & Error Handling: A fault path is an error handling path that triggers when the element wasn't able to process a change (Update, Create, Delete) in the database. By default, users are presented with red text and a cryptic message without enough readable context to troubleshoot themselves. In Version 2, we've add a fault path for every Create Records element to notify the Salesforce team of new errors. No one likes it when automation fails, but it's a magical experience to reach out to a user and let them know you're already working on it! 🪄🎩🐇 4️⃣ Tracking Performance/Usability: This one is a game changer... What good is an active Flow if you can't measure its performance or usability? Create a custom object called "Automation Saved Time." Any time you add to a Flow, estimate the amount of time the automation saves and add it to a variable. At the end of the Flow, create a new Automation Saved Time record adding the aggregated time for all elements. It'll help answer some amazing questions: a) How much time has your Flow saved users? b) How often has Flow is been run? c) Is this Flow useful? All questions you can only assume the answers to without this data! Build a dashboard and show it to internal stakeholders, so they understand the value you're adding. 5️⃣ Reuse & Recycle: Rather than building a new Flow element each time you need it, connect to an existing element. In this example, we are connecting both fault paths to the same email alert. "In a world full of Version 1s, be a Version 2 💪🏻" #salesforce #salesforceflow #automation #bestpractices #benioff

The SaaS Funnel is Dead. AI Broke It. Forget "optimizing" the funnel. AI isn't just tweaking the classic model—it's demolishing it. The linear path of Discover > Activate > Convert > Retain is being replaced by a single, persistent, intelligent conversation. And yet, I see so many B2B and healthcare product teams trying bolt AI onto their old funnel framework. They're missing the seismic shift. Today's buyers don't "enter" a funnel. They pose a question. Note these 4 disruptions and implications to your product: 1. Intent Isn't Captured, It's Revealed. Old way: Gate value behind a multi-field form, forcing users to provide their credentials, payments, or eligibility. New way: Start with a single prompt. An AI agent engages in a 2-3 turn conversation to diagnose the user's true job-to-be-done. Qualification happens through conversation, not interrogation. This isn’t just about reducing friction; it’s about starting the relationship with service instead of extraction. 🔑 Your first touchpoint should feel like a diagnosis, not a registration. The goal is to understand intent, not just collect data. 2. Deliver Value Before the "Aha!" Moment. Old way: Rush users to your core feature, hoping they find the "aha!" moment before they churn. New way: Deliver "Day 0 Value." While a user waits for a demo, a human, or a paid feature, an AI assistant provides a micro-solution. It could be a personalized resource, a quick analysis of a small data set, or a self-guided assessment. You solve a small part of their problem for free, right now. 🔑 The best way to build trust isn't a promise of future value; it's the delivery of immediate, autonomous value. 3. The Product Becomes a Proactive Partner. Old way: Nudge users with periodic emails and notifications, reminding them to come back. New way: The product is always-on, working for the user in the background. Think of an AI that surfaces risks, drafts reports, or suggests optimizations without being asked. Engagement becomes a byproduct of the product's persistent, agentive help. 🔑 Don't design for check-ins; design for a partnership. Your product shouldn't be a tool the user picks up, but a partner that never stops working for them. 4. Your Product Is Your Best Salesperson (Literally). Old way: Use product usage data to inform sales conversations. New way: The AI interactions generate undeniable, real-time proof of value. This outcome data isn't just a signal; it's the core of your commercial motion. The AI can surface an ROI calculation or a performance benchmark directly to the user or account owner at the perfect moment. 🔑 Stop selling features. Let the AI surface outcomes, and the outcomes will sell the product. Your GTM and product feedback loops should be one and the same. The bottom line for builders: Stop optimizing the steps in a dying funnel. Instead, build a single, AI-powered front door that serves, diagnoses, and solves from the very first touch. This is the new moat.

Want users to love your Screen Flows? Here are 12 dead-simple things to do: 1. Welcome users properly Start with a clear, friendly intro. Let them know what the Flow is for, and what to expect.. 2. Use real-world language Use the business lingo. Don’t say “Opportunity Stage Value.” Say “What’s the current deal stage?” 3. Minimize clicks Use default values. Pre-fill fields. Auto-skip steps when you already have the info. 4. Provide clear instructions Don’t assume users know what to do. Explain clearly what input is expected right on the screen. 5. Show only what’s needed Use conditional visibility to reduce clutter. If it’s not relevant, hide it. 6. Group fields into sections Long screens? Break them into clear, labeled sections. It’s easier to scan and less intimidating. 7. Name the action in button labels “Next” and “Previous” work… but “Submit Request” or “Schedule Meeting” is better. 8. Avoid information overload Too many instructions = user fatigue. Keep guidance short, helpful, and action-focused. 9. Add success screens Finished the Flow? Let them know it worked. A simple “Success!” message can go a long way. 10. Handle errors with empathy Add decisions to catch common mistakes and guide the user on how to fix them. If an unexpected error happens, don’t show “Unhandled Exception.” Display the actual error - it gives context. 11. Use icons and visuals (lightly) A small icon or emoji can add clarity and a little delight. Think: ⚠️ for alerts, ✅ for success. Just… no rocket emojis 🚀, please. 12. Use help text Those little tooltips? Use them. They help users understand what’s expected, without cluttering the screen. BONUS: Get feedback early. Show the screens to stakeholders early on and make sure you’re on the right track. Your Screen Flow is guiding the user. Make sure it does it LIKE A BOSS. --- Like this post? Like 👍 | Comment ✍ | Repost ♻️

User research is great, but what if you do not have the time or budget for it........ In an ideal world, you would test and validate every design decision. But, that is not always the reality. Sometimes you do not have the time, access, or budget to run full research studies. So how do you bridge the gap between guessing and making informed decisions? These are some of my favorites: 1️⃣ Analyze drop-off points: Where users abandon a flow tells you a lot. Are they getting stuck on an input field? Hesitating at the payment step? Running into bugs? These patterns reveal key problem areas. 2️⃣ Identify high-friction areas: Where users spend the most time can be good or bad. If a simple action is taking too long, that might signal confusion or inefficiency in the flow. 3️⃣ Watch real user behavior: Tools like Hotjar | by Contentsquare or PostHog let you record user sessions and see how people actually interact with your product. This exposes where users struggle in real time. 4️⃣ Talk to customer support: They hear customer frustrations daily. What are the most common complaints? What issues keep coming up? This feedback is gold for improving UX. 5️⃣ Leverage account managers: They are constantly talking to customers and solving their pain points, often without looping in the product team. Ask them what they are hearing. They will gladly share everything. 6️⃣ Use survey data: A simple Google Forms, Typeform, or Tally survey can collect direct feedback on user experience and pain points. 6️⃣ Reference industry leaders: Look at existing apps or products with similar features to what you are designing. Use them as inspiration to simplify your design decisions. Many foundational patterns have already been solved, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. I have used all of these methods throughout my career, but the trick is knowing when to use each one and when to push for proper user research. This comes with time. That said, not every feature or flow needs research. Some areas of a product are so well understood that testing does not add much value. What unconventional methods have you used to gather user feedback outside of traditional testing? _______ 👋🏻 I’m Wyatt—designer turned founder, building in public & sharing what I learn. Follow for more content like this!