Word:  The Fold

Definition: A theoretical line, below which content on a website or application is not visible without scrolling.

Reference: The fold is a term borrowed from print, back when it truly referred to the literal fold in the center of a newspaper page. Newspaper editors wanted to make sure that their most eye-catching and important headlines appeared "above the fold" so that the content was visible when papers were stacked for display and purchase.

The digital equivalent is content that appears when a web page loads. The content that fits the screen before scrolling is said to be "above the fold".

Here's the debate, because let's face it, there is always a debate - many say that "the fold" is no longer a relevant way to view and layout content in an era when scrolling has become a norm and a reflex. Design studio, Huge Inc, did a wonderful UX research investigation on just this and it is definitely worth checking out. In their study, Huge found that nearly everyone scrolled past the fold but it was various affordances that determined how far down the page the user explored.

Thoughts/Questions: Your turn! As we talk today, in 2015, is "the fold" still a relevant way of thinking about UX design?