@elizabeth_shell profile picture
Elizabeth Shell @elizabeth_shell

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

Joined October 2008
  • Tweets 9,705
  • Following 969
  • Followers 3,564
1,109 Photos and videos
⚡️🚨 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! us231.dayforcehcm.com/Candid…

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Wordle 796 4/6 ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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Elizabeth Shell retweeted
David Oliver@doliver8
10 Aug 2023
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: doliver@usatoday.com. thank you!
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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."
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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.”
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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
Illustration of two minds connected.

ALT Illustration of two minds connected.

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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:
radar chart of how to decide when to take on a project, based on originality, longevity, importnace, visual impact, unique skill set.

ALT radar chart of how to decide when to take on a project, based on originality, longevity, importnace, visual impact, unique skill set.

radar chart for radar in turkey

ALT radar chart for radar in turkey

radar chart for unemployment rate

ALT radar chart for unemployment rate

radar chart for a shooting locator map, skewed towards importance.

ALT radar chart for a shooting locator map, skewed towards importance.

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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
Say things out loud! tell people what you want to be doing. And then do it.

ALT Say things out loud! tell people what you want to be doing. And then do it.

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✨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?
To fight imposter syndrome, write about yourself in 3rd person.

ALT To fight imposter syndrome, write about yourself in 3rd person.

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✨ 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.
Nothing is too precious. Get things out into the world.

ALT Nothing is too precious. Get things out into the world.

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#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
28 Oct 2022
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. washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/…
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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
Slide says if your org is truly dedicated to dei, you must make your content and sites accessible.

ALT Slide says if your org is truly dedicated to dei, you must make your content and sites accessible.

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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.
PHOTOGRAPHERS / VIDEOGRAPHERS • Video has a lot of opportunity to connect with audiences • Audio descriptions • Captions (open vs. Closed, Kinetic) • Transcriptions • Alt text is an opportunity for photographers describe their work in their words

ALT PHOTOGRAPHERS / VIDEOGRAPHERS • Video has a lot of opportunity to connect with audiences • Audio descriptions • Captions (open vs. Closed, Kinetic) • Transcriptions • Alt text is an opportunity for photographers describe their work in their words

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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
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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! snd.org/events-training/snd-…

SND Week 2023 - Society for News Design

snd.org
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Elizabeth Shell retweeted
Kati Kokal@katikokal
1 Dec 2022
If you are laid off by Gannett, PLEASE report your layoff and tell us how we can help. There are so, so many people who want to help you and it is not brave to suffer in silence. Here’s the link to report a layoff: docs.google.com/forms/d/1drD…

Gannett December 2022 layoff reporting form

Please use this form to report any layoffs in your newsroom (union-represented or not). We would like to create a support network of people who are impacted by layoffs so we can help them find new...

docs.google.com
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Elizabeth Shell retweeted
USA TODAY
@USATODAY
7 Nov 2022
🎨 Let’s see your masterpieces: “I Voted” stickers could use a revamp. That’s why we’re looking for your designs! Go here to read more submit your creation. bit.ly/3DrLUAe
TEXT: Do you think this sticker is boring? Let's see your ideas. GRAPHIC: An 'I voted" circle sticker with an American flag on it. It is against a dark purple background.

ALT TEXT: Do you think this sticker is boring? Let's see your ideas. GRAPHIC: An 'I voted" circle sticker with an American flag on it. It is against a dark purple background.

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