Thursday 21 November 2013

What's the next step for HIV testing services?

After moving at glacial pace for years, HIV rapid testing is now being ‘rolled out’ in different forms around the country. Although this will make testing more accessible and convenient, there has not been much attention paid to the experience of the users of testing services, and how services might change their models and their design to enhance the user experience.

To help explore this question, AFAO teamed up with Sydney and South Western Sydney Local Health District to commission a research project using innovative methods that focused on the ‘user’. 

We found Natalie Rowland from redrollers who in collaboration with Penny Hagen from smallfire undertook a participatory design approach to this project.

Participants were involved in a number of different information-gathering and co-design methods...from video diaries, journey mapping, media mapping, letter writing, online discussion groups and face-to-face interviews. 

The project culminated in co-design workshops in which gay men drew on their own experiences, as well as the information already gathered through the project, to design ideal HIV testing service experiences.

The findings from the project have already been used to help design new testing services in Victoria and NSW, including the upcoming pop-up test site in Sydney.

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