LINX: Revolutionizing HIV/AIDS Support through Digital Community

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Challenge

UCLA, led by Dr. Ian Holloway, initiated a groundbreaking research study aimed at improving health outcomes for HIV-positive men in Los Angeles, particularly within the gay Black community. The challenge was to create a confidential social network that would:

  • Empower, educate, and support the gay Black community living with HIV/AIDS

  • Serve as both a digital community and a research tool for a multi-year study

  • Prioritize privacy and engagement while promoting health

  • Operate within an accelerated six-week timeline

As the UX lead, I was tasked with designing and developing a mobile platform that could meet these complex requirements while introducing a rapid, user-centered design approach to the scientific research world.

What I Did

Leading a team of two engineers, I spearheaded the following actions:

  • User Research & Strategy:

    • Conducted in-depth user interviews with HIV-positive men, clinic owners, and UCLA stakeholders

    • Analyzed research findings to understand unique needs, emphasizing privacy and community support

  • Design & Interaction:

    • Led the design of the platform's user interface and interaction

    • Created a secure and welcoming experience that encouraged engagement without fear of stigma

  • Collaboration & Development:

    • Worked closely with engineers to rapidly prototype, test, and build the platform

    • Ensured the technical architecture supported high-level security and scalability

    • Utilized Ruby on Rails for backend and React for frontend development

  • Stakeholder Alignment:

    • Regularly presented updates to Dr. Holloway, treatment clinic owners, and key stakeholders

    • Aligned the platform's design with both research objectives and user community needs

Throughout the process, I emphasized the importance of user privacy, engagement, and health promotion, while adhering to the accelerated timeline.

Outcome

Our efforts resulted in the successful launch of the LINX platform, delivering significant impact:

  • Formed the backbone of UCLA's ongoing study on digital social networks and HIV-positive health outcomes

  • Achieved unprecedented speed and impact in the research world

  • Created a secure, engaging platform for the HIV-positive community to connect and share experiences

  • Established a foundation for future iterations to expand reach and functionality

The LINX platform continues to evolve as part of the research study, with plans to improve health outcomes for an even broader HIV-positive community. For more information, see Hub for Health Intervention, Policy and Practice

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“Fantastic, intense, instructive.”

– Ian Holloway, Ph.D, UCLA Principle Investigator

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