Best of Digital Design

What the judges said: “Unique and excellent visual journalism. It shows, it teaches, it explains. The translations were well done. The narrative arc was well-paced and the graphics were deftly integrated. NPR has set their own high bar for this type of storytelling and this project shines. Deceptively simple and seamless; it was totally immersive and poetic. It makes you lean forward and back. The experience works thoughtfully across devices and screen sizes. This caliber of storytelling requires great photography, which this delivers.”

What the judges said: “Campaign finance stories can often be dry and inaccessible but this was inviting and very compelling. The data and infographics were paced thoughtfully and pulled readers through the story.”

What the judges said: “Gentle stretch of the medium. Genuinely felt like a conversation. Fresh. Stylistic. Very nice illustrations. The pacing, storytelling and editing underscore the conversational nature. I felt like I was in the conversation. You don’t feel like the extra touches interrupt the experience. It could have been a standard op-ed essay, but it went so much further and draws you in. The white that captures the silence in the conversation is novel and heavy.”

What the judges said: “Every aspect of this was beautiful. There were so many layers to explore, from a gigantic market down to a very small piece of sushi. It was packed with information but didn’t feel overwhelming; it was peaceful and balanced. Very well art directed and integrated together.”

What the judges said: “Really great. Good range but still feels very much connected and consistent. It’s a cohesive portfolio. ‘Prison Meal’ is great. Appreciate the thoughtful treatment audio players with the transcript that autoplays. ‘Executioners vs. Veterinarians,’ a shocking story, well done. The blurred text is a wonderful effect, avoid the usual jumble of the design shifting around. Footnotes. Pull-quotes. Annotations. Typography used as tasteful accents. Story-led design. Picks the right tools for the right moment and right story.”

What the judges said: “It’s an individual portfolio that’s heavily map-based but shows a lot of range. Multiple styles and integration of lightweight vectors. Love the Japan’s view, capper and footer with labels in the satellite images, cutline ties it all together. Greenland they get you from high to low. The graphics in the Chinese island seem a little crazy but what’s inside is amazing! The graphics are stark and beautiful.”

What the judges said: “Impressive variety and well executed — big visuals, layered smartly with maps, charts, along with well-executed and high-utility product design. Excellent photo editing throughout that meets the high expectation of full-screen. This checks a lot of boxes when it comes to immersive storytelling. The audio experience of the whales story is incredibly emotional and mesmerizing and invites you to focus on what you’re hearing without being fussy.”

What the judges said: “Everything is customized and contextualized to you. Imagine trying to plan and execute this, the idea is overwhelming. Contextual articles are something we haven’t seen done this well, the whole way through. It pushes the medium..”

What the judges said: “It challenges the assumption that we should represent this type of information with charts. We relate to what we eat, not to the numbers. Someone has thought this relationship through. The video executions are so well done, the use of zoom for the big reveal. The reader doesn’t know what’s coming next, and can’t wait to see and be surprised.”

What the judges said: “Extremely complicated to script and execute. It’s easy to downplay the difficulty because it looks so seamless and well-done. This pushes the state of drill-down aggregate charts. It moves you around in a smart, calculated way, taking you on a narrative through trendlines.”