EVERY MOVEMENT COUNTS –
WITH THE “COPD FITMACHER”
LEVEL BY LEVEL TO MORE
QUALITY OF LIFE
Motivation, exercise and playful training despite impaired lung function? For people with the chronic respiratory disease COPD, this is now easily possible: with the “COPD Fitmacher”, BERLIN-CHEMIE AG helps patients to get and stay active.
Movement begins in the mind
Movement begins in the mind
BERLIN-CHEMIE AG is part of the international Menarini Group and has been developing solutions for the health of people with chronic respiratory diseases for years. With the “COPD Fitmacher”, the company has created an app that motivates patients with stage 2 and 3 COPD to be more active in everyday life. Users can select a suitable training intensity depending on their current well-being.
Together with UID, we developed a solution that brings motivation and movement to life in a new way. Our focus was on behavioral design and gamification. The aim was to activate patients in a playful way and help them to integrate healthy routines into their everyday lives in the long term.
So we developed an app that not only provides training, but also makes behavioral change possible. Level by level, step by step.
The implementation of the app was handled by our sister company BAYOOMED. Together, we are part of the YOOme group of companies, where we cover the entire cycle of medical device development.
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“It’s really fun to use the app. It’s super versatile and motivates you to keep at it. It’s also clear and easy to use.“ – User of the “COPD Fitmacher”
“I wish I had found out about it during my cure or from my lung doctor.” – User of the “COPD Fitmacher”
The process
The initial question was: How can we motivate people with COPD to exercise regularly despite their limited exercise capacity?
To understand this, UID first conducted user studies. The aim was to precisely record the reality of patients’ lives and their needs. The finding: COPD patients in stages 2 and 3 in particular benefit from digital support that is personalized, age-appropriate, understandable and motivating.
This formed the basis for a UX concept that consistently focuses on user centricity, personal motivation and playful elements. The perspective of users and medical professionals was included right from the start: Needs interviews, usability tests and feedback rounds helped to iteratively improve functions and designs.
The result is an app that motivates patients to keep moving and gain confidence in their training. Knowledge and education about the disease accompany them in an understandable way. The result is a step-by-step solution that inspires activity.
Motivation through gamification
Motivation can be fun and that’s exactly what the “COPD Fitmacher” does. The app uses playful elements such as levels, success statistics, challenges and small success animations to accompany patients on their way to more exercise.
The level system follows clear goals and creates visible progress: Anyone who completes weekly workouts, documents walks or achieves their daily step target moves up level by level. This allows users to experience motivation, self-efficacy and rewards directly. These are all important factors for sticking with it in the long term.
A special highlight is the “Little Fit Maker”, a likeable character who encourages little exercises in between and thus creates additional micro-moments of movement. These playful elements turn routine into a sense of achievement and help to integrate physical activity into everyday life step by step.
Behavioral design for sustainable adherence
At the center of the “COPD Fitmacher” is what UID is excellent at: Behavioral design. After all, motivating people to change their habits permanently requires more than sophisticated functions; it requires psychology. The aim was to noticeably increase adherence, i.e. consistent adherence to training and exercise, and to remove potential obstacles.
The UID team developed a concept that focuses on positive reinforcement and individual motivation. Users are rewarded with small successes, receive praise for completed units and are gently reminded to stay active.
Push notifications allow you to adapt reminders to your own weekly schedule or daily routine. This makes exercise a seamless part of everyday life.
The design itself also has a motivating effect: colorful accents, clear progress indicators and intuitive navigation support the feeling of having control over your own health progress. This turns regular training into a routine and motivation into a new habit.
Knowledge that moves
The “COPD Fitmacher” is much more than just a training app: it also provides knowledge about the disease. On a dedicated knowledge page, patients can find easy-to-understand information on symptoms, therapies and health-promoting measures. This knowledge transfer promotes personal responsibility and strengthens understanding of one’s own body – a decisive factor in staying active in the long term.
Systematic accessibility
Especially for a target group over 60, it was clear that the app can only motivate if it is truly accessible. That’s why the “COPD Fitmacher” was consistently designed according to barrier-free design principles. Large font sizes, high contrasts and generously placed buttons ensure optimum readability and intuitive operation, even for those with impaired vision or motor difficulties.
In the spirit of UX writing, we chose simple and understandable language and used clear button labels and information texts.
The layout reduces unnecessary scrolling and focuses on clear structures. This allows users to find what they need quickly – without being overwhelmed or frustrated.
The result is an app that not only looks good, but can be understood and used by everyone, regardless of age or technical knowledge.
