Taking Salesforce’s New ‘Trailhead Go’ for a Spin – is it Worth a Look?
I am life-long learner and self-proclaimed Apple geek fast approaching my sixtieth birthday, and on Gallup’s StrengthsFinder test I score highest in Learner (a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve) and Achiever (a great deal of stamina and works hard). So the recent collaboration between Salesforce and Apple to create Trailhead GO definitely caught my attention. The new Mobile App developed exclusively for the iPad and iPhone takes Salesforce learning to a whole new level.
As a relative newcomer to Salesforce, I am using Trailhead Go to accelerate my progress toward an Admin Certification – and so far I’m very impressed. I’ve long used similar apps in my “alternative” career as a pilot, so I was curious to see if Trailhead GO could also enhance my professional development. The answer, as I outline below, is a resounding, “Yes!”
Before Trailhead GO, my Trailhead learning was all conducted on my MacBook Pro, linked to an external screen. GO gives me a much more efficient learning environment, making it possible to easily read instructions on one device while performing hands-on tasks on another. More than that, it gives me access to Trailhead wherever I am – right from my iPhone! Since many of the Trailhead units can be completed in 10-15 minutes, it makes it easy to progress with my training while sitting in a dentist’s waiting room, or while watching the grand kids, or even while standing in line at the grocery store. Why not? It beats frittering away my precious time scrolling through Facebook or idly watching YouTube videos!
GO gives me a much more efficient learning environment, making it possible to easily read instructions on one device while performing hands-on tasks on another.
Here’s what I’ve discovered so far during my brief test drive:
- The iOS implementation of Trailhead is impressive, with fully responsive pages that can be read in either portrait or landscape mode (for those with older eyes like mine, the landscape mode is especially helpful on the iPhone!).
- Progress along a trail syncs seamlessly across all your devices: start something in the office on your laptop, continue on an iPad in the evening, and at the store on an iPhone later in the week.
- Simple quizzes can be completed right on your iPad or iPhone, while hands-on exercises must be completed in a browser. But if you have a 12.9” iPad Pro, even that can be accomplished on the same device with relative ease.
Of course, as with any new, bleeding edge application, there are a few glitches and areas that I’d like to see improved:
- The iPad version isn’t fully responsive. In landscape mode, the text only occupies the middle 1/3 of the screen and can’t be expanded to fill it.
- I found it a little tricky at times to find where I’d left off on the iOS device…a more obvious “bookmark” feature might be helpful.
To wrap up, whether you’re a Salesforce newbie like me, or a seasoned professional wanting to keep your skills and knowledge sharp, you should take Trailhead GO for a test drive. You won’t be disappointed!
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