Option to add delays between chained actions
January 29, 2025
Enhancement
Pro editor

Option to add delays between chained actions

Last summer, we enabled you to chain multiple actions on one trigger element. Today we bring you the ability to add some breathing room between them. The option to add a 'delay' between actions is here.

Chaining actions

Chaining actions together in Pro opened a world of possibilities for UX design. For example, actions such as a "scroll to" could now be combined with toggling elements like a pop-up. Or elements within a group could animate after each other, no longer dependent on a scroll trigger. In essence, readers could be guided through sections exactly as planned. However, every action would chain and play out after each other without any breathing room. That's where the idea for delays came in.

The power of, well... nothing

Familiar with the saying "Less is more"? Sometimes leaving stuff out is what makes the experience. From today on, it's possible to add delays between your chained actions to enhance the viewer's experience. As a designer, it provides you with more control over the reading experience by being able to strategically place moments of stillness between motion.

An example implementation

We've designed a scrollytelling page to demonstrate how you can take your reader on a journey with chained actions and added delays. In this example, the delay provides a comfortable rhythm that allows the reader to take in what's happening on the screen as elements fade and move.

Experience chained actions with delays yourself in this example page of Laika's journey through space. 🚀

A screenshot of the UI with delays between actions

Additional tips for designing with delays

  • Don't make your delays too long. Your reader might think that their journey is done and they are free to roam through your page again whilst only being pulled back into the chained actions ('cause once you're in it, you can't break out).
  • People are impatient. Be sure to choose a tempo that feels natural. The best way to do so is by letting others proofread your publication. A fresh pair of eyes often sees more.

Delays in action

Experience delays in-page yourself through Laika's journey in space!
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