CHRU

Rebuilding South Africa's leading HIV research unit website

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Industry

Clinical Research & Healthcare

Timeline

6 months

Services

Web Design, Webflow Development, CMS Architecture, Information Architecture

Overview

The Clinical HIV Research Unit is the leading infectious diseases clinical research unit in South Africa. Their previous site was structurally flawed — organised around internal thinking rather than audience needs. I led the rebuild over 6 months, delivered with my specialist network, to serve patients, researchers, and funders simultaneously.

The Challenge

Three distinct audiences — anxious patients, evaluating researchers, and assessing funders — arriving at the same site with entirely different needs. Navigation assumed prior knowledge, visual inconsistencies undermined credibility, and authority signals were buried. Patient pathways were unclear and anxiety-inducing.

Our Approach

I spent weeks on information architecture mapping before any design work, then structured layered navigation around recognisable categories with each section serving its primary audience first. My specialist network built a Webflow design system of reusable components to ensure visual consistency structurally, with CMS collections for research, trials, team, and news giving the client's team full editorial independence.

Led by me, Russel Davis, as a specialised B2B Webflow studio — delivered with my specialist network, shipping brand-led builds with AEO baked in.

Results

Here's what the engagement delivered — measurable outcomes that speak for themselves.

Audience Paths

3 distinct journeys

CMS Independence

Full editorial control

Project Duration

6 months

Content Sections

Research, Trials, Patient Info

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about the CHRU project.

I mapped three distinct user journeys and structured layered navigation around recognisable categories, with each section serving its primary audience first — so patients aren't asked to read like researchers and vice versa.

Most of the early work was information architecture, not design. I spent weeks mapping content, audiences and patient pathways before opening a design tool, which is what made the launched site coherent rather than just refreshed.

Yes. My specialist network built CMS collections for research, trials, team and news inside a Webflow design system of reusable components — the client's team has full editorial independence while visual consistency is enforced structurally.