The 2019 Shorthand Award Winners

The shortlist

Titanic: Stories from the deep
The Daily Mirror, in association with UKTV's Yesterday channel

Day of reckoning
Sky News

The rebirth of AlUla
Arab News

Judges' comments

"A very in-depth look at the D-Day story, full of military tactics and political insight. It's brought to life with graphics and maps in Shorthand and accompanied by powerful first-hand accounts from the men who survived D-Day."

Livvy Haydock, producer and presenter

"This is an exceptional demonstration of the power of Shorthand technology. It also harnesses the multimedia reporting that Sky can do very well. The written copy is also interesting, with deep reporting and research evidenced throughout and a strong narrative thread."

Chris Stokel-Walker, freelance journalist & author

"For anyone wanting to read up on the topic of D-Day, this is enormously valuable. It's more of a resource than merely content. The map infographics bring a real reason for interactivity, holding a purpose as opposed to simply looking 'fancy'."

Tom Langan, brand & communications consultant

The shortlist

How to get published
Penguin

Back to school with the CR-V
Honda Engine Room

5 brands crushing creativity on stories
Adweek

Judges' comments

"The timeline theme of this piece worked really well combined with fun text, images and graphics. I love the creation of relatable chaos and yet the one constant is the Honda CR-V, which helps them survive the day."

Livvy Haydock, producer and presenter

"The best stories are the ones that relate to real life. Emma for me is a hero. Her inside track into motherhood and parenting was a fun read. It was relatable and accessible. I loved the use of the notepad and small vectors. Those small touches bring the story to life."

Ravin Sampat, head of storytelling, Tortoise Media

"This feels really nicely stylised, a lot of consideration given to the long-scroll mechanic — perfect when you're executing a 'day in the life' piece of content. There's plenty of reasons to keep reading and the tone is relatable and engaging. Love it!"

Tom Langan, brand & communications consultant

The shortlist

A sixteen-year-old's flight from IS group though Europe
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

Combatting sexual harassment on public transport in Egypt: Zahara's story
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

Picked by slaves
Thomson Reuters Foundation

Judges' comments

"This shows the full potential of Shorthand: smart copy that tells an amazing story, poignant imagery and good use of infographics, including the map."

Chris Stokel-Walker, freelance journalist & author

"Brilliant storytelling. It just shows how vulnerable young people can be to a cause they don't believe in. I found this modern tale of trying to start a new life very heartwarming, in a world where we are defined by our difference. Reading his story, he is a perfect example of one young man fleeing a war torn country, struggling to get out, and finding a light at the end of the tunnel. His story is the story of many young Syrian teenagers. A story worth telling."

Ravin Sampat, head of storytelling, Tortoise Media

"Gripping story, great interview. You do relate and feel for this youngster who left everything and found the courage to build another life in a very different country from the one he was born in. Good use of Shorthand to create map features."

Isabelle Marchand, information designer, Lloyds Banking Group

The shortlist

A trusted alternative
Geometric Results Inc (GRI)

Rigged for reform
The Trinidad and Tobago Extractive industries Transparency Initiative (TTEITI)

Amazing people: Amazing Lives
RELX

Judges' comments

"There's a nice use of graphics; the producers are using colour and movement to enhance what could be fairly standard charts. These graphs are telling stories. It also has a clear, comfortable writing style. The navigation is easy, the sections clearly flagged and I like that I could download the full report."

Dr Skye Doherty, Lecturer & director of engagement, School of Communication & Arts, The University of Queensland

"The small details are what impress the most here, from the page breaks to the intelligently-building charts that pepper the piece. This is a clearly polished bit of work that gives off the sense of professionalism, from the first word to the last."

Chris Stokel-Walker, freelance journalist & author

"Great use of charts to illustrate different points of the report. The authors managed to make of an initially quite dry subject an interesting report. Illustrations are ingeniously placed to give a rhythm to the publication, and the storytelling flows logically."

Isabelle Marchand, information designer, Lloyds Banking Group

The shortlist

Escaping the chaos
By a student on the University of Kent's BA Journalism programme

Britain from the air
University of Cambridge

The butterflies are coming
University of Cambridge

Judges' comments

"Original reporting and full width images are the strengths of this piece. It is a complex structure but fairly easy to navigate. The producer has really tried to exploit what the platform offers in terms of interactive storytelling."

Dr Skye Doherty, Lecturer & director of engagement, School of Communication & Arts, The University of Queensland

"This is a powerful story on an evocative subject, told smartly in various media — impressively so. The narrative arc of the story is strong, and the whole piece hangs together nicely. I’m particularly keen on the way the individual stories are told."

Chris Stokel-Walker, freelance journalist & author

"The story of Venezuela is one often forgotten about in the news. Many reporters have found it hard to report from the country and what is a dire situation for many within. This Shorthand story stood out for me — it told the story of one of the largest migrations in modern history in a part of the world where you wouldn't necessarily expect it. The use of the maps and pictures in part two particularly stood out. It's a strong storytelling method that really tells you the scale of the Venezuelan journey to safer pastures."

Ravin Sampat, head of storytelling, Tortoise Media

Congratulations to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) for winning the first ever Shorthand Choice Award. The story resonated strongly with audiences across social media in this publicly-decided category, securing over 40% of the votes. The visual portrayal of a young boy named Fabiano and his daily struggle for clean water reads like graphic novel — until you're transitioned into real life through a Reveal section. It's a memorable story and a very deserving winner.

That concludes the 2019 Shorthand Awards.

We extend our warmest congratulations, not only to the winners, but also to the talented writers and content creators whose work was recognised through the nomination and shortlisting of their work.

We will be calling for 2020 nominations in September, and we can't wait to start the journey with you all again!