Data Storyteller & Educator
PAVEL SHOROKH
I help people and companies turn complex data into clear visual narratives
Principal Information Designer | Founder | Educator
About:
As a leader in information design, I've spent my career building and guiding award-winning creative teams. I founded the RIA Novosti Infographics Studio and grew it into a 40-person powerhouse, the largest in Eastern Europe, leading the team to win over a dozen international awards.
My passion, however, extends beyond leading newsrooms. I am deeply committed to education and have a proven track record of developing the next generation of data storytellers. I've designed and taught my own courses at some of Russia's most elite universities, including the prestigious British Higher School of Art and Design (BHSAD), the top-ranked Higher School of Economics (HSE), and the renowned Moscow State University (MSU).
This expertise also translates to the corporate world, where I partner with companies to create bespoke training programs. I thrive on understanding a company's unique needs and crafting a curriculum that empowers their teams to communicate data with clarity and impact.
Key Leadership Achievements:
Teaching & Mentorship Excellence:
As a leader in information design, I've spent my career building and guiding award-winning creative teams. I founded the RIA Novosti Infographics Studio and grew it into a 40-person powerhouse, the largest in Eastern Europe, leading the team to win over a dozen international awards.
My passion, however, extends beyond leading newsrooms. I am deeply committed to education and have a proven track record of developing the next generation of data storytellers. I've designed and taught my own courses at some of Russia's most elite universities, including the prestigious British Higher School of Art and Design (BHSAD), the top-ranked Higher School of Economics (HSE), and the renowned Moscow State University (MSU).
This expertise also translates to the corporate world, where I partner with companies to create bespoke training programs. I thrive on understanding a company's unique needs and crafting a curriculum that empowers their teams to communicate data with clarity and impact.
Key Leadership Achievements:
- Built & Scaled a Powerhouse: Grew the RIA Novosti Infographics Studio from the ground up to a 40-person team, establishing it as the market leader in Eastern Europe.
- Fostered an Award-Winning Culture: Led my team to win over a dozen prestigious international awards for infographic and information design.
- Pioneered Data-Centric Media: Headed the infographics department at one of Russia's first publications centered on data visualization.
Teaching & Mentorship Excellence:
- Holistic Expertise: Possess deep, hands-on knowledge of the entire information design workflow—from data strategy and editing to final execution in design, code, and 3D. This allows me to effectively teach and mentor specialists at every level of the process.
- Top-Rated Educator: Recognized for a clear and engaging communication style, I was twice voted "Best Teacher of the Year" by students at the Higher School of Economics (HSE), one of Eastern Europe's top universities.
Our Capabilities: A Full-Cycle Production Powerhouse
Under my leadership, the studio evolved into a full-scale production powerhouse, creating over 10,000 static and more than 1,000 interactive projects.
Our core principle was complete self-sufficiency. We intentionally built a multi-disciplinary team that brought every necessary expert under one roof. The entire workflow—from data journalism and editing to graphic design, illustration, front-end development, 3D artistry, and cartography—was handled exclusively by our in-house staff.
This model gave us the unique ability to execute projects of any complexity, ensuring uncompromising quality and full control at every stage from concept to launch.
The spectrum of products we created included:
Static & Visual Content:
Each of these projects was part of a larger visual universe. Below is a kaleidoscope of our work, offering a glimpse into the style and versatility of the studio.
Our core principle was complete self-sufficiency. We intentionally built a multi-disciplinary team that brought every necessary expert under one roof. The entire workflow—from data journalism and editing to graphic design, illustration, front-end development, 3D artistry, and cartography—was handled exclusively by our in-house staff.
This model gave us the unique ability to execute projects of any complexity, ensuring uncompromising quality and full control at every stage from concept to launch.
The spectrum of products we created included:
Static & Visual Content:
- Explanatory Infographics & How-It-Works Guides
- Data Visualization (DataViz)
- Custom Cartography & Thematic Maps
- Illustrated Guides & Checklists
- Social Media Cards & Visual Assets
- Motion Graphics & Video Infographics
- Longreads & Scrollytelling Narratives
- Interactive Diagrams & Simulators
- Data Dashboards
- Custom Calculators, Configurators & Quizzes
- Promotional Games & Gamified Content
Each of these projects was part of a larger visual universe. Below is a kaleidoscope of our work, offering a glimpse into the style and versatility of the studio.
World-Class Recognition
Under my leadership, the studio consistently earned acclaim at the world's most prestigious international competitions. We didn't just create infographics; we developed projects that set industry benchmarks and repeatedly won at leading global venues.
These awards are more than just certificates on a wall. They are a testament that our approach to data, design, and storytelling met the highest international standards.
Key competitions where our team has been victorious:
An Award-Winning Showcase
These awards are more than just certificates on a wall. They are a testament that our approach to data, design, and storytelling met the highest international standards.
Key competitions where our team has been victorious:
- Malofiej International Infographics Awards. Widely regarded as the "Pulitzer Prize for Infographics." It is the world's most authoritative data visualization competition. Our team was a multiple-time medalist (Silver and Bronze), signifying a sustained level of excellence over many years.
- SND (Society for News Design) Best of Digital. An award bestowed by the global professional community of visual journalists. A win here signifies recognition from the best of our peers in news design.
- Information is Beautiful Awards. Founded by data visualization icon David McCandless, this award celebrates not just accuracy but also the beauty, originality, and wit in data presentation.
- European Design Awards & HOW International Design Awards. Leading competitions in Europe and the USA covering the full spectrum of communication design. Wins here prove our work was competitive on the global design stage.
- Marcom Awards & Native Advertising Awards. Prestigious awards in marketing and native advertising. These honors confirm that our projects were not only informative but also highly effective in solving commercial and communication challenges for brands.
- Communicator Awards. One of the world's largest competitions that recognizes excellence, craft, and effectiveness in communications.
An Award-Winning Showcase
Project: The Mystery of the Gray Whale
Award: Award of Excellence, Communicator Awards (Category: Branded Editorial Experience)
Note: This project showcases how scientific data, stunning visuals, and compelling storytelling can be woven together to create a deep emotional connection with the audience. The Gold Award celebrates our mastery in crafting immersive and educational branded experiences around important environmental stories.
Explore the project
Award: Award of Excellence, Communicator Awards (Category: Branded Editorial Experience)
Note: This project showcases how scientific data, stunning visuals, and compelling storytelling can be woven together to create a deep emotional connection with the audience. The Gold Award celebrates our mastery in crafting immersive and educational branded experiences around important environmental stories.
Explore the project
Project: Demystifying the Synchrotron
Award: Diploma, The Native Advertising Awards (Category: Best Use of Infographics)
Note: In partnership with the prestigious Kurchatov Institute, one of the world's leading research centers, we tackled the challenge of explaining how a synchrotron works to a general audience. The project was honored in Berlin as a best-in-class example of using infographics to create engaging and accessible native advertising.
Explore the project
Award: Diploma, The Native Advertising Awards (Category: Best Use of Infographics)
Note: In partnership with the prestigious Kurchatov Institute, one of the world's leading research centers, we tackled the challenge of explaining how a synchrotron works to a general audience. The project was honored in Berlin as a best-in-class example of using infographics to create engaging and accessible native advertising.
Explore the project
Project: Ostankino Tower: Engineering an Icon
Award: Bronze Medal, Malofiej
Note: Our goal was not just to show the tower, but to tell its story: from the bold vision of its chief designer, Nikolai Nikitin, to the unique engineering innovations that made it possible to build the world's tallest structure on a shallow foundation. The project was recognized by the jury for its narrative clarity and elegant synthesis of diagrams, illustrations, and historical data.
Explore the project
Award: Bronze Medal, Malofiej
Note: Our goal was not just to show the tower, but to tell its story: from the bold vision of its chief designer, Nikolai Nikitin, to the unique engineering innovations that made it possible to build the world's tallest structure on a shallow foundation. The project was recognized by the jury for its narrative clarity and elegant synthesis of diagrams, illustrations, and historical data.
Explore the project
Project: From pipeline to pump
Award: Award of Excellence, Communicator Awards (Category: Branded Editorial Experience)
Note: How do you transform a complex industrial process into an elegant and easy-to-understand visual guide? This project received the top award for its ability to create sophisticated branded content that makes even the most intricate topics accessible and engaging for a general audience.
Explore the project
Award: Award of Excellence, Communicator Awards (Category: Branded Editorial Experience)
Note: How do you transform a complex industrial process into an elegant and easy-to-understand visual guide? This project received the top award for its ability to create sophisticated branded content that makes even the most intricate topics accessible and engaging for a general audience.
Explore the project
Project: To the Depth of Siberia
Award: Platinum Award, Marcom Awards (Category: Informational Microsite)
Note: How do you explain one of the world's most complex oil extraction technologies? In this flagship project for energy giant Rosneft, we visualized the entire engineering process of developing the hard-to-recover reserves of the Bazhenov Formation. We transformed highly complex geology and engineering specifics into a clear and compelling narrative. The competition's highest honor, the Platinum Award, recognizes our expertise in tackling ambitious communication challenges for industry leaders.
Explore the project
Award: Platinum Award, Marcom Awards (Category: Informational Microsite)
Note: How do you explain one of the world's most complex oil extraction technologies? In this flagship project for energy giant Rosneft, we visualized the entire engineering process of developing the hard-to-recover reserves of the Bazhenov Formation. We transformed highly complex geology and engineering specifics into a clear and compelling narrative. The competition's highest honor, the Platinum Award, recognizes our expertise in tackling ambitious communication challenges for industry leaders.
Explore the project
Project: Hell or High Water
Award: Award of Excellence, Communicator Awards (Category: Games & Apps)
Note: How do you make a topic as dry as insurance interesting? You turn it into a game. This interactive simulator simplifies complex insurance concepts through playful scenarios. Winning Gold in the "Games & Apps" category highlights our expertise in using gamification to create highly effective and memorable educational tools for brands.
Play the game
Award: Award of Excellence, Communicator Awards (Category: Games & Apps)
Note: How do you make a topic as dry as insurance interesting? You turn it into a game. This interactive simulator simplifies complex insurance concepts through playful scenarios. Winning Gold in the "Games & Apps" category highlights our expertise in using gamification to create highly effective and memorable educational tools for brands.
Play the game
Project: Way to Go: Stop COVID
Award: Bronze, European Design Awards
Note: How do you communicate vital health guidelines during a global pandemic without being generic or alarmist? We found our answer in the aesthetics of constructivism. Its concise geometric shapes and powerful, direct slogans were the perfect fit for the task. The result was a series of vibrant, positive posters that not only garnered 450,000 views but were also embraced by the public, with people printing and distributing them in their communities. The European Design Award recognizes that a strong creative concept is the most powerful tool in crisis communication.
Explore the project (RUS)
Award: Bronze, European Design Awards
Note: How do you communicate vital health guidelines during a global pandemic without being generic or alarmist? We found our answer in the aesthetics of constructivism. Its concise geometric shapes and powerful, direct slogans were the perfect fit for the task. The result was a series of vibrant, positive posters that not only garnered 450,000 views but were also embraced by the public, with people printing and distributing them in their communities. The European Design Award recognizes that a strong creative concept is the most powerful tool in crisis communication.
Explore the project (RUS)