SALESFORCE – certification slump
1st Challenge
Salesforce launched a global partner certification program, some of our niche programs had less than 20% partners passing the exam.
2nd Challenge
The Partner Enablement team was responsible for developing all partner training, while a separate team created the certification exams. Due to strict guidelines, learning designers were prohibited from “teaching to the test."
3rd Challenge
3rd Challenge
After the first rollout, partners were failing the exam. Stakeholders were eager to understand why. Direct feedback pointed to the training—but there was a critical nuance: our curriculum was never intended as certification prep. It was designed as a high-level overview, assuming learners brought existing industry knowledge to the table.
Intentions
The Solution
3rd Challenge
We needed to communicate this clearly during registration to set expectations. Still, stakeholders urged us to adapt the training to help partners—especially those new to the industry—gauge their skillset and identify knowledge gaps before attempting the exam.
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
Alignment between learning design and certifications. I discovered a strategic workaround by analyzing the Job Task Analysis (JTA) used by the certification team. Inside the JTA, I found enabler criteria—behavioral indicators and conditions that define successful task performance on the exam.
Approach
The Solution
The Solution
Using this insight, I led a redesign of our training approach that helped partners build real-world skills aligned with exam expectations—without teaching to the test.
We focused on:
Clear, behavior-based learning objectives
Scenario-driven lessons that activated prior knowledge
Practice conditions that mirrored real exam demands in a UAT test environment
This empowered learners to self-assess, close knowledge gaps, and show up prepared—while keeping our content policy-compliant.