Elizabeth Shell

Creative Director, Audience @USATODAY ✨Design for visual storytelling | Alum: Info viz prof @unc, Interactives editor @cgtnamerica, Data producer @NewsHour

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

@thebiggestweek Thrilled to add this cutie to our life list thanks to this post! #bwiab

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

⚡️🚨 Awesome job alert! 🚨 ⚡️

We’re looking for a leader, teacher and innovator to be the Deputy Managing Editor for Social at USA TODAY.

This is my current role (I’m going to focus full time on being creative director) so ASK ME ALL THE QUESTIONS!

https://t.co/sb1r1okYpY

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Wordle 796 4/6

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[David Oliver @doliver8]

hi there. i'm working on a project for work about grief – all different kinds. grieving people, pets, youth, body changing, etc. email me here if you'd like to chat further: [email protected]. thank you!

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Dealing with death within visuals can be very challenging, and rightly so. How do we humanize the numbers, the scale, the scope. I’m really in my feels with how Matthew Weber (head of global graphics at Reuters) described the treatment: “A beautiful metaphor of what’s missing.”

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

This is an incredibly moving project on grief and the pandemic. At #sndnyc @allyjlevine spoke about its genesis and her decision to use real flowers to make the art design: "I wanted to create a memorial, something I could touch."

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Every story could benefit from graphics and design, obvi. But that’s not practical – you will never be able to do all the things.

So how do we decide what to do? 5-pt radar chart helps answer when it's worth the effort + a few examples:

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

So inspired by Matthew Weber’s #sndweek talk. Reuter’s global head of graphics walked through how discovering your inner unicorn 🦄 as a visual storyteller 🎨 helps you:

🦄 determine how to prioritize your work
🦄 cut out the time sucks (!)
🦄 focus on quality
#snd44 #sndnyc

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

@donohoe @SND That's a really interesting entry point for articles. Cool idea!

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

✨ Nothing is too precious. Get things out into the world. As I tell my own team, ship it!

✨Social media is a great place to get things out into the world. Try. If it flops, next time, iterate.

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Soaking up all the design wisdom from @theamyking and @amy_cavenaile session "2 Amys and 20 useful things from Many Years in journalism." #sndweek #snd44

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

✨Find your people. Creative partners will fuel your fire. Especially ones with different skill sets.

✨To fight imposter syndrome, write about yourself in third person.

✨What can you do with what you have?

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

#SND44: Say yes to passion projects. Curiosities and interests can turn into engaging / alternative forms of storytelling, like Cheddar the D.C. rat, from WaPo team @shikha_sub @tmac0201 @joemfox

#sndnyc #sndweek

[The Washington Post @washingtonpost]

To survive as a rat, you must be clever. Think you have what it takes to scavenge for something to eat or find a safe place to sleep?

The Post built a video game to show you how rats live — and thrive — in the city. https://t.co/OBByNncODr

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Create processes so accessibility is a part of the breaking news workflow.

Build accessibility into large projects from the beginning.

Alt text is a must.

Don’t misuse assistive tools.

#sndnyc #snd44

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Accessibility isn’t an option. @paigekconnor + @PatrickMGarvin on why news and information needs to be available to everyone. Consider the needs of the visually, auditorily, cognitively or physically disabled readers of our publications and products #snd44 #sndweek

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

Video too, including the way we think about, design and implement captions. Kinetic captions should be avoided.

And alt text doesn’t have to be clinical - it can be fun, in our own words. Remember, we’re talking directly to readers.

[Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell]

As social media platforms quickly evolve, so should your visual strategy.

I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to talk about how and why we must elevate off-platform design with colleagues from @axios @washingtonpost at the @SND's NYC Week on Sunday!

https://t.co/e2YDb5YZ6B