6Sense / Slintel
Overview
In sales, information is key. Gathering and using data effectively can determine the outcome of a deal. Top sales organizations focus on collecting account and buyer data to gain valuable insights that lead to winning deals.
As part of the Sales Intelligence Platform team, I focused on designing solutions that empower sales users to access and uncover vital prospect information, enabling more informed and effective outreach through features like Chrome Extension and Quick Views.
With the sales intelligence platform, sales users can easily access and uncover vital information about their prospects. This means they have all the relevant details at their fingertips, enabling more informed and effective outreach.
My Role
While at 6Sense, I was a member of a 5-person design, team led by a Principal Designer, focusing on the Sales Intelligence Platform.
In this role, I assumed ownership of the Chrome Extension and Quick Views feature projects. My team worked in close collaboration with a design system team, and our efforts were overseen by VP of Product Design & Research, Ashish Krishna.
In addition, I played a crucial role in leading the transition from our old design system to a new one and seamlessly integrating Slintel’s data with 6Sense post acquisition.
Research & Discovery
Competitive Research
Understanding Our Users
I initiated my research on the platform alongside the interview process at 6Sense. Throughout this process, I had the privilege of meeting with several highly experienced designers who had been instrumental in shaping the platform. As an integral part of the company culture, I was introduced to various design managers during my rounds, each of whom provided valuable insights into the platform’s nuances and the challenges it aimed to address.
Upon joining the team, I was assigned to a specific product area, which happened to be the Sales Intelligence Platform. This allowed me to dive deep into understanding the platform’s users. To gain comprehensive insights, my research encompassed:
- In-depth analysis of internal product documentation.
- Collaborative sessions with the user research team.
- One-on-one discussions with the project’s product managers and designers, who had been involved in its development from the outset.
- Review of sales call video archives, which provided insights into how the project was being positioned and sold.
- Engaging in internal user interviews, especially crucial as the tool was tailored for sales users. 6Sense boasted a substantial team of sales personas with whom I had the opportunity to interact.
- Our primary focus revolved around two key personas within the sales domain, namely Business Development Representatives (BDR) and Account Executives (AE). The goal was to support their functions, ranging from prospecting to outreach.
Solutions Walkthrough (Personas + UI Screens)
⬆️ Primary Persona: BDR (Business Development Representative).
⬆️ Hot Accounts Dashboard.
- The dashboard’s “Hot Accounts” tab empowers users to prospect for potential accounts. A primary goal for BDRs is lead qualification, and the “Hot Accounts” dashboard designates accounts as “hot,” indicating they are prime candidates for becoming ideal ICPs.
⬆️ Dashboard .
- When users identify ICPs on the dashboard, a Quick View panel (right) enables them to access a comprehensive set of data points processed by 6Sense. It lets users understand the buying stage, account reach & profile fit of the account.
⬆️ Chrome Extension .
- The Chrome extension empowers Sales Users to identify potential Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs). As they navigate the web, the extension dynamically extracts and showcases firmographic, technographic, and psychographic data relevant to the account by reading the URL.
⬆️ Chrome Extension .
- From earlier research it was clear the sales users are not willing to add yet another tool to their process. Hence we integrated out dashbaord into CRM of choice. Here is an integration with Salesforce, showcasing the details page which reqchable from the Quick views.
Outcomes & Impact
Platform Integration Success
Successfully integrated Slintel’s data with 6Sense platform post-acquisition, ensuring seamless data flow and user experience continuity.
Feature Adoption
- Chrome Extension: High adoption rate among BDR users for prospect identification
- Quick Views: Improved user efficiency in qualifying leads and understanding account fit
- CRM Integration: Reduced tool-switching friction by integrating dashboard into existing workflows
Design System Migration
Led the successful transition from legacy design system to new design framework, improving consistency and development efficiency across the platform.
Key Learnings
- Enterprise Sales Users: Gained deep insights into the complex needs and behaviors of sales professionals in B2B environments
- Data-Driven Design: Learned the importance of leveraging firmographic, technographic, and psychographic data in UX decisions
- Cross-Continental Collaboration: Successfully worked with a diverse design team across four continents, developing skills in remote collaboration
- Integration Challenges: Understanding the complexities of post-acquisition product integration and data consolidation
- CRM Workflow Integration: Sales users prefer embedded solutions over standalone tools to minimize workflow disruption
- Lead Qualification Process: BDRs and AEs have distinct needs in the prospect-to-customer journey that require tailored interface approaches