Is parallax good for UX?

Parallax is a technique of using several layers on a site to create a 3D effect when scrolling. Some people call this the parallax effect.

There is no doubt that good sites with parallax effects look amazing. When in 2011, Nike launched its Better World website (it is no longer online), it set a new standard for toughness.

And although many people believe that steepness and quality are one and the same, I have seen so many analysts of such cool sites that I cannot agree.

So parallax is good for UX?

Present answer:

Parallax can be useful for UX. By and large, anything can be useful.

The parallax effect is like a little dick: how you use it is important.

If you use parallax to draw the user’s attention to the objects you need to click on – great!

And if for something else, the answer is: no, this is not good for the UX.

That’s why this question is not at all stupid:

Passion and attention are two different things.

The parallax effect will force the user to say “wow!” And skim the site to the very bottom.

But down there, if you ask him what the site was about, it’s likely that he will not tell you anything.

Why?

Because this crazy scrolling is much more interesting than the content itself. Oops.

The user saw a bunch of cool pictures and learned zero information.

If your goal is to  show something: consider the mission accomplished. In the case of that Nike site, perhaps the parallax effect was fully justified by showing users what Better World is.

But if your goal is  to teach something, or sell something, or explain something, then consider it a failure.

Passion is measured not only by the amount of time the user spends on the site, and not only by the degree of satisfaction.

Passion depends on what the user does while spending time with you.

The user who scrolled the site from top to bottom does not remember anything and will never return. Therefore, it is useless.

And remember: you get paid for UX. This is not a fashion show.