After Scrollytelling: Reimagining the frontend of data journalism

Scrollytelling has been synonymous with data journalism. Sticky sections, animated reveals, and long narrative scroll experiences have become the default format for visual stories. But, reader behaviour has changed since the early days of data journalism.

Readers who were once fascinated by the novelty of scrollytelling now demand clarity, speed, and relevance. I am proposing we reinvent the wheel.

Most news is consumed on mobile devices, in short bursts, during commutes, between notifications, and inside infinite scroll feeds. Add to that, social media’s beast of a dopamine factory competing for the same attention. Attention is fragmented.

What should the frontend of data journalism look like in 2026?

Drawing on analytics such as scroll depth, interaction rates, device splits, and drop off points, I examine how readers actually engage with interactive stories. Where do they stop reading? Which interactions are used? How often do carefully designed features go untouched because they demand too much effort?

These patterns challenge the assumption that more immersion equals more impact.

Data journalism needs a cognitive load budget audit. Every animation, transition, filter, and hover state carries a cost. When we overspend that budget, we lose clarity. I have been guilty of overspending too.

I propose: first, a summary first architecture. The core insight must be visible within the first screen, without interaction. No hidden revelations below multiple scrolls.

Second, modular storytelling. Instead of a single long linear scroll experience, stories should be built as independent visual blocks. Each block should communicate one idea clearly and survive on its own. Third, interaction by necessity, not default. An interaction must reveal something that cannot be shown statically. Fourth, annotation over hover. Key context should be visible, not dependent on cursor-based behaviour. Fifth, screenshot resilience. Every visual should be understandable when captured and shared as a standalone image. If the meaning disappears outside the interactive frame, the design in the context of journalism has failed.

Finally, performance discipline. Fast load times, limited motion, and clear hierarchy should be treated as editorial decisions, not engineering afterthoughts.

The outline of talk will be: The rise of scrollytelling. What metrics reveal about real reader behaviour. A breakdown of new frontend principles in practice. Finally, a proposal for a styleguide for mobile-first journalism. I aim to move beyond general web accessibility principles and reinterpret them specifically for the constraints of newsrooms.

I work at the intersection of investigative reporting and interactive design in an increasingly mobile dominant news environment. Every project involves negotiating between editorial ambition, design experimentation, and reader reality. A data journalist’s frontend choices shape not just aesthetics but comprehension and trust.

This session connects to broader conversations in data visualization about interactivity, engagement, and responsible design. It is intended for journalists, designers, editors, and product teams building stories.

Participants will leave with a concrete framework for auditing cognitive load, a set of design principles for mobile first frontend, and a practical checklist to decide when interaction truly earns its place.