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SalesforceSkills

Solution Whiteboard

Facilitate solution design and whiteboard sessions. AI produces structured solution outlines, data flow diagrams, integration maps, and phased implementation roadmaps.

Skill Details

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Versionv1.0.0AuthorJorge ArteagaLicenseMITSections13

Works with

Claude CodeCursorWindsurf

When This Skill Owns the TaskWorkflow

Required Context to Gather FirstWorkflow

Before designing a solution, ask for or infer:

1
Business problem — What is the customer trying to accomplish? (Not "we want Salesforce" — the underlying business problem)
2
Users and personas — Who will use the solution, and what do they do today?
3
Current systems — What do they already have? (CRM, ERP, billing, data warehouse)
4
Integration requirements — What systems must Salesforce connect to?
5
Data volume — How many records, users, transactions?
6
Timeline and budget — Phase 1 scope vs. future state?
7
Technical constraints — Any hard requirements (SSO, specific clouds, compliance)?

WorkflowWorkflow

1
Frame the problem — Confirm the business outcome before touching architecture.
2
Sketch the user journey — Map the personas and their key workflows.
3
Select the Salesforce products — Which clouds and features solve which problem?
4
Design the integration architecture — Map data flows between Salesforce and external systems.
5
Identify the data model — Key objects, relationships, and data sources.
6
Define the automation strategy — What automates, using which tool (Flow vs. Apex vs. Agentforce)?
7
Phase the implementation — Break the design into phase 1 (must-have) and future state.
8
Produce the output — Architecture diagram, solution brief, or phased roadmap.

Core Frameworks

Problem-to-Solution Design Sequence

Business Problem
      │
      ▼
User Journey Map
(Who does what today? What changes?)
      │
      ▼
Salesforce Solution Layer
(Which clouds, features, and objects?)
      │
      ▼
Integration Layer
(What connects to what? Direction of data flow?)
      │
      ▼
Automation Layer
(What triggers what? Flow, Apex, or Agent?)
      │
      ▼
Data Model
(Objects, relationships, data sources)
      │
      ▼
Phased Roadmap
(Phase 1 scope, Phase 2, Future State)

Salesforce Product Selection Guide

Integration Architecture Patterns

Automation Decision Tree

Does the logic run WITHOUT a user action?
   │
   ├─ YES: Is it complex (multi-object, Apex, callouts)?
   │        ├─ YES → Apex (Queueable or Batch)
   │        └─ NO → Record-Triggered Flow (before/after save)
   │
   └─ NO: Is it a guided user interaction?
           ├─ YES: Multiple screens? → Screen Flow
           │        Single action? → Quick Action + Flow
           └─ NO: Is it AI-driven and autonomous?
                   └─ YES → Agentforce Topic + Action

Phased Implementation Framework

PHASE 1 — Foundation (Must-Have)
  → Core use case working end-to-end
  → Data model and key integrations
  → User adoption and basic training
  → Timeline: 8-16 weeks typical

PHASE 2 — Optimization (High-Value Additions)
  → AI/automation layer
  → Additional integrations
  → Reporting and dashboards
  → Timeline: 4-8 weeks after Phase 1

PHASE 3 — Expansion (Future State)
  → Additional clouds
  → Advanced analytics
  → Platform extensions
  → Timeline: 6-12 months post-go-live

Output FormatTemplate

Solution Design Brief

MARKDOWN
# Solution Design — [Company Name]
**Date:** [Date] | **SE:** [Name] | **Products in Scope:** [List]

## Business Objective
[One paragraph: what outcome the customer is trying to achieve and why now]

## User Personas and Workflows

| Persona | Current Workflow | Future Workflow with Salesforce |
|---------|----------------|--------------------------------|
| [Role] | [What they do today] | [What they'll do with Salesforce] |

## Solution Architecture

### Salesforce Products
| Product | Purpose | Key Features Used |
|---------|---------|------------------|
| [Product] | [Why this product] | [Feature list] |

### Integration Map

[ASCII diagram or Mermaid diagram showing data flows]

Systems:
- [External System 1] → Salesforce via [Pattern] — [Data being synced]
- [External System 2] ← Salesforce via [Pattern] — [Data being pushed]

### Data Model Overview
| Object | Type | Key Fields | Relationships |
|--------|------|-----------|--------------|
| [Object] | Standard/Custom | [Fields] | [Relationships] |

### Automation Strategy
| Trigger | Automation Type | What It Does |
|---------|----------------|-------------|
| [Event] | Flow/Apex/Agentforce | [Action taken] |

## Phased Roadmap

### Phase 1 — [Name] (Weeks 1-[X])
**Goal:** [One sentence]
**In scope:**
- [Feature / use case]
- [Feature / use case]
**Success criteria:** [How we know Phase 1 is done]

### Phase 2 — [Name] (Weeks [X]-[Y])
**Goal:** [One sentence]
**In scope:**
- [Feature / use case]

### Future State
- [Capability planned but not yet scoped]

## Open Questions / Assumptions
- [ ] [Assumption or question that needs validation]

Anti-PatternsReference

Scoring Rubric (90 Points)Reference

Cross-Skill IntegrationReference

TaskThis SkillDefer To
Design a Salesforce solution from a business problemYes
Produce a data flow or integration diagramYes
Build a phased implementation roadmapYes
Scope a multi-cloud architectureYes
Assess gaps in an existing orgNosf-se-architecture-review
Build the ROI or business caseNosf-se-proof-of-value
Write the Apex code for the solutionNosf-apex
Run discovery to understand the business problem firstNosf-se-discovery
Business NeedRecommended ProductKey Features
Sales process managementSales CloudLeads, Opportunities, Forecasting, Einstein
Customer serviceService CloudCases, Omni-Channel, Knowledge, Einstein
Marketing automation (B2B)Marketing Cloud Account EngagementEngagement Studio, Scoring, Lead Nurture
Marketing automation (B2C)Marketing Cloud EngagementJourneys, Email, Mobile, CDP
Customer data platformData CloudUnified profiles, Segments, Activations
Autonomous AI agentsAgentforceTopics, Actions, Prompt Templates
Custom apps and portalsPlatform + Experience CloudCustom objects, LWC, Sites
CPQ and billingRevenue CloudProduct catalog, Pricing rules, Contracts
Field serviceField ServiceWork Orders, Scheduling, Mobile
PatternWhen to UseSalesforce Tools
Real-time syncData must be current within secondsPlatform Events, Change Data Capture
Scheduled batchLarge volumes; timing is flexibleScheduled Flow, Apex Batch, Bulk API
Request/responseOne system queries another on demandNamed Credentials, REST callouts
Event-drivenDecoupled systems reacting to eventsPlatform Events, Pub/Sub API
ETL/Data pipelineLarge-scale data migration or warehouse syncData Cloud connectors, Bulk API
Anti-PatternWhy It FailsFix
Designing before understanding the business problemProduces technically correct but wrong solutionsAlways start with the business outcome, not the features
Recommending every Salesforce cloudLooks like a sales pitch, not a solutionStart with the minimum viable solution for Phase 1; expand from there
Skipping the integration architectureIntegration is almost always the hardest part of a Salesforce implementationMap every external system connection before finalizing scope
Proposing all-Apex automationsCreates maintenance burden; harder for admins to modifyFollow the automation decision tree; prefer Flow over Apex where possible
One-phase design with no roadmapCustomers expect phased value delivery, not a 12-month "big bang"Always phase the delivery; show value in Phase 1
Not validating the data modelWrong data model is the #1 cause of Salesforce implementations needing a rebuildConfirm object relationships and data volume before finalizing
CategoryPointsPass Criteria
Business Problem Alignment25Every design decision is traceable to a stated business outcome
Integration Architecture25All external systems mapped with data flow direction and pattern
Phasing20Phase 1 is achievable in <16 weeks with clear success criteria
Automation Strategy20Automation choices justified using the decision tree
SkillWhen to Use It
sf-se-architecture-reviewAssess the existing org before designing the future state
sf-se-proof-of-valueQuantify the business impact of the proposed solution
sf-apexGenerate the Apex code for complex automations in the design
sf-ai-agentforceDesign the Agentforce agents in the automation layer
sf-se-presentationBuild the slide deck that presents this solution design
salesforce-architect-skillDeep-dive on specific architecture decisions

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