The goal
Drug directory as a mobile app
As a central information and communication platform for medical professionals, the "Medicine" forum provides Weleda AG Germany's pharmaceutical directory as a print catalog as well as digitally on the specialist website. However, the latter is not optimized for mobile use, which is why a more user-friendly solution needed to be created for the company's target groups. For this reason, it was necessary to expand the functions of the pharmaceutical directory with a hybrid app for iOS and Android .
The aim of this is to enable medical staff to suggest suitable medicines to their patients during home visits, even when they are on the move. Designed in line with the digital appearance of Weleda AG and equipped with state-of-the-art web technologies, midwives or doctors can access the database of Weleda medicines via a DocCheck login and should be able to find anthroposophic medicines quickly thanks to user-friendly menu navigation and an integrated search function. The app is also intended to replace the analog medicines catalog in the medium term.
Hybrid app with maximum user experience
As a Stuttgart-based internet agency, .FUF was responsible for the strategic, technical and design implementation of the hybrid app. The aim was to expand Weleda AG's specialist website with a mobile app that allows medical staff to access the company's list of medicines while on the move. Thanks to the interface connection to the DocCheck identification service, which also ensures the security of the app, midwives and doctors can conveniently log in and access the list of active ingredients manually or via a search function. After the first use, the list of medicines can also be used offline.
As part of the app development, Frank und Freunde focused on intuitive menu navigation, interactive animations and an optimized display of search results in order to achieve maximum user-friendliness. The app also impresses with its clear, modern and future-proof design, which reflects the company's digital image.
All functions and the design of the hybrid app were implemented according to the requirements of the target group. In addition to optimizing the pharmaceutical directory for the mobile application, the app menu also had to impress with a clear structure and intuitive user guidance. The app immediately gives midwives and doctors a familiar feeling: in addition to the prominently placed and high-performance search function, users can also filter the app content according to clinical pictures or symptoms in addition to the medicines.
App development with state-of-the-art web technology
As the basis for the hybrid app, the data provided had to be prepared, maintained and integrated into a new database in advance. The Python programming language was used for the data migration so that the content could be read in and then validated. This step helped to adapt the format of active ingredients and clinical pictures to the requirements of the web application.
The use of state-of-the-art web technologies that meet the requirements of the iOS and Android mobile operating systems was also essential for the Weleda pharmaceutical directory. While the JavaScript web framework Vue.js was used for the front end, the PHP framework Symfony was used for the back end. The Apache Cordova (PhoneGap) framework was used at .FUF to prepare and integrate the apps into the App Store and Google Play Store.
Mobile app as the future
Due to the requirements of Weleda AG, .FUF decided to develop a hybrid app. Unlike native applications, these are only programmed on a code basis and can still combine the advantages of the iOS and Android mobile operating systems. The resulting lower development effort and high performance also underpins the decision - also with regard to other alternatives such as a PWA - to develop a hybrid app.
The mobile application also has enormous synergy potential with regard to the future development of the pharmaceutical directory. In the medium term, the Weleda app is intended to supplement the pharmaceutical directory on the web and even replace it as a print version.
Mobile app tailored to the target group
After initial skepticism from the ranks of Weleda AG regarding the benefits of a mobile pharmaceutical directory, there was great satisfaction soon after the app was released. The hybrid app for iOS and Android makes the daily work of midwives and doctors much easier thanks to its ease of use, as confirmed by the high number of downloads.
The design of the app was also very well received. All stakeholders of Weleda AG recognize the design of the application as a target-oriented solution for future digital products, making the mobile pharmaceutical directory an ideal part of the dynamic further development process of the corporate design.
FUFinish:
The Weleda pharmaceutical directory is a hybrid app in the portfolio of the Stuttgart-based digital agency .FUF. For the application, .FUF was able to combine many years of experience in app and web development. The preparation and migration of data, the connection of external interfaces and the integration of a powerful search function could be harmonized with a user-friendly mobile app.
In addition, Frank und Freunde showed that as an internet agency, they were able to draw on in-depth know-how, particularly in the application and further development of corporate design guidelines for the web and digital applications, and can therefore present another reference project in the field of app development.
Project info
Weleda AG Germany is the world's leading manufacturer of holistic natural cosmetics and anthroposophic medicines. The latter are based on the interaction between man and nature and are designed to stimulate the self-healing powers of the organism so that it is able to overcome an illness on its own.
The target group
The app is aimed specifically at medical staff such as midwives and doctors. Until now, they have had to bring the pharmaceutical directory as a printed catalog with them on home visits in order to recommend appropriate active ingredients to their patients. As the list of medicines on the website was not optimized for mobile use, the hybrid app for iOS and Android proved to be the ideal solution for Weleda AG's target groups, simplifying their day-to-day work.
Technology facts
Hybrid app for iOS and Android, offline-capable
Frameworks: Apache Cordova Framework, Vue.JS
Backend: JSON API, interface to the DocCheck identification service
Database: creation, maintenance and integration of data with Python programming language
Glossary
Native app: App specially developed for an operating system of a specific target platform, e.g. iOS or Android.
Web app: Cross-platform app that usually runs in the browser.
Hybrid app: Mixture of native app and web app that is based on web technologies but looks like a native app and can be obtained via the app stores.
Progressive app: Website with characteristics of a native app.
Apache Cordova: Open source framework for mobile programming.