Digital design cues change every day as new ways to experience the news crowd the landscape. Time is the variable that has not changed, which makes it more precious than ever. With that in mind: What are the signposts for success? And to what standards should we aspire?
Here are five that stood apart as we looked at the many ways the definition of news design is changing. (The winner or winners or will be announced at SND’s annual workshop in San Francisco this April.)
- AJ+
Want video? AJ+ has video and it’s built for the same sort of explanation as its word-friendly counterparts, while also using its smart annotation system to add context.
- BuzzFeed News
A breed apart in news apps that promise finishability, BuzzFeed News gets there by populating its universe with the verve and sense of style we have come to expect from BuzzFeed. ? - The Marshall Project
A stunning example of visual language and explanation in the service of important enterprise journalism, the Marshall Project never feels anything less than urgent. - NYT Now
Unbundling the universe that is The New York Times is no small task, which is why this quick-read app is indispensable, all the while maintaining an unmistakable voice and design control that’s clearly Times-ian. - Quartz
Both fearless risk-taker and careful surrogate for its audience, Quartz delivers on its promise of finding smart ways to frame issues and design the news for understanding — and it revels in evolution.
Brian Boyer, Matt Mansfield, Isabel Meirelles
SND Digital World’s Best judges