Supportsoft Glossary

User Interaction Through Vertical Movement

Scrolls on a website or application are the user movements when moving down the page (vertical scrolling) through content available on the web/app. As digital experiences have become more advanced, scrolling has emerged as the most natural and commonly used forms of interaction with web/app content, used to navigate users through a long-form article, product list, social feed, dashboard, etc.

When designing a scrolling experience, the designer must strike a balance regarding the length of content to be displayed, the clarity of navigation, and the pace of the visuals within the content space. If there is too much continuous scrolling, users can become overwhelmed, whereas if there is constantly poorly formed content, it can disrupt the continuity of the content.

To maintain users' understanding and engagement with the content while scrolling, it is good to implement some of the following techniques: sticky headers, section dividers, "Back to Top" buttons, and animations that activate while scrolling.

On mobile devices, scrolling becomes more prevalent due to the limited screen size available for the user. Users need to navigate through information quickly by implementing smooth, responsive gestures; therefore, if anything disrupts this flow, such as lag, layout shifts, and poorly optimised assets, then it could greatly diminish the user's experience.

Many businesses have incorporated scrolling into their UX to create stories, guide users on how to navigate through a journey and present information in easily digestible pieces. When properly designed, scrolling appears to be an effortless action for users and allows them to feel confident navigating the content presented to them.