Shorthand systems are a way of writing using squiggles and abbreviations for speed and they may be based on spelling or phonetics.
ÔStenopadsÕ or Steno paper is ruled down the center of the page to help the writer work quickly. Instead of using the full length of the book, they write in the first column to the middle line which saves time on their hand traveling across the whole line. Then they use the second column.