Fold? What world are you living in?

There was a question and conversation in one of the user experience community sites over the past few days over whether or not it was important to consider the "fold" anymore. I had to do a double-take on it and check to see that I was not just looking at an old post.

The unequivocal answer is no. As it has been for some time. Of course, you say.

First, "the fold" has not had true meaning for a long time - it assumes a particular browser or set of browsers, maximized to the screen resolution, with default toolbar/menu/wrapper elements. All of these have been false assumptions to base design decisions on for years. 

Second, the idea of pixel-level control over the presentation of content that is not contained in an RIA or other control is a fallacy. Variability in system configuration, settings, and so forth make it impossible to predict perfectly what the presentation will look like - all we know for sure is that it will not look like the design comp. Plus, if you are being a good design citizen and ensuring users can control font sizes and providing accessibility in your design, you know that variable presentation is a given. What does "the fold" mean to a screen reader?

Third, and most importantly today, the devices, "browsers," and screens that your digital experience will be on are evolving and multiplying by leaps and bounds. 

So, don't worry about the fold. There is no fold. In fact, you could ask if there is even a design comp.

What do you have? A dynamic, morphing design that relies on the priority of information and interaction elements and the context in which it is being experienced. Your design strategy is to craft an experience that appropriately morphs itself based on it's window of engagement. And that morphing must rely on user need priorities, device context, social context, environmental context, and privacy needs.

We, as designers of experiences that happen everywhere, must consider all the places and contexts in which these user experiences will happen. But we must not try and design for each one, we must instead design for them all. All at the same time. In a highly dynamic holistic design.

That is our new job. Sounds like fun to me.