How CLEVR and Naviva Created an Essential Digital Companion for Expecting Parents
In the world of maternity care, providing timely and reliable information is critical for both new and expecting parents. Recognizing this need, Naviva Kraamzorg embarked on a digital transformation journey to enhance its client engagement and information accessibility.
The result? The Nieuw Leven App — a Mendix Native Mobile application – available in the App Store and Google Play Store - developed in close collaboration with CLEVR.
The Vision: From Paper to Digital Excellence
For years, Naviva relied on newsletters, printed magazines, and website content to inform expecting parents. However, these methods inherently lacked interactivity and personalization. During the pandemic, face-to-face contact was restricted, further highlighting the need for a digital solution that could facilitate real-time engagement. Combined with an increasing number of digital-savvy parents and a growing demand for accessible information, Naviva saw an opportunity to innovate.
"Nine years ago, we envisioned an App that would serve as a one-stop platform for expecting parents," shares Marieke Kolthof, Marketing and Innovation Manager at Naviva. "However, the market wasn’t ready, and the budget was a challenge. It wasn’t until the pandemic accelerated the shift toward digital communication that we received the green light."
Naviva needed a flexible, scalable, and user-friendly mobile solution that could adapt to evolving client needs while seamlessly integrating with their existing systems. Enter CLEVR, a Mendix Platinum Partner known for its expertise in building powerful low code applications.
Collaborating for Digital Innovation in Maternity Care
The partnership between Naviva and CLEVR is built on mutual trust and innovation. Andries Smit, Senior Mendix Developer at CLEVR, recalls what set this project apart: "Naviva was fully committed to digital transformation, and the entire organization was supporting it. That level of involvement made a huge difference. They understood that a consumer app needs to be seamless—users won’t give it a second chance if it doesn’t meet their expectations."
Why Build the App with Mendix?
With the decision taken that a Native Mobile App was the best approach to meet their needs. CLEVR recommended building the app using Mendix, leveraging its low code capabilities to ensure rapid development, flexibility, and future scalability. Mendix offered several key advantages, particularly in terms of agility, co-creation, and adaptability:
- Offline usability, allowing parents to access critical information even without an internet connection.
Push notifications, ensuring timely updates and reminders. - Scalability and adaptability, enabling seamless integration with Naviva’s CRM system while allowing for future enhancements without extensive redevelopment.
- Agility and rapid iteration, ensuring that changes based on user feedback and evolving requirements can be implemented quickly.
- Co-creation and collaboration, empowering Naviva to be directly involved in the development process, refining features to meet real-world needs.
- App Store & Google Play Store availability, making it easily accessible for all users.
Overcoming Challenges
Building consumer-facing healthcare applications comes with unique hurdles, from regulatory requirements to seamless user experience. One of the biggest technical challenges in the development process was integrating with Naviva’s patient dossier system, which initially lacked APIs. This required project management to push for necessary developments to enable seamless data exchange. Through close collaboration, the teams navigated this challenge, ensuring a smooth user experience.
CLEVR also placed significant emphasis on user experience (UX). As Andries explains, "For consumer apps, 30% of the budget should be focused on UX and UI. If users don’t find the app intuitive and engaging, they simply won’t use it."
The Impact: Enhancing Maternity Care Quality
Since its launch, the Nieuw Leven App has exceeded expectations, becoming an indispensable tool for expecting parents. Key results include:
- More then 95% of first-time parents installing the app.
- Over 20,000 active clients using the app annually.
- Increased efficiency in client communication and engagement.
The app provides vital information on pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care, along with videos, checklists, and interactive features. By offering easily accessible guidance, the app significantly reduces the need for parents to consult maternity care professionals with common questions, allowing the professionals to focus more on hands-on care. This unburdens the care providers while ensuring parents receive high-quality, timely support. Importantly, it enhances self-reliance among parents by equipping them with trusted information, fostering confidence in newborn care, and improving overall maternity care quality.
"One of the things we appreciated most about working with CLEVR was their ability to take our ideas and make them better," says Amanda Weijenberg, Marketing and Innovation Advisor at Naviva. "They didn’t just build what we asked for—they challenged us, refined our vision, and helped us create something truly impactful."
What’s Next? The Future of the Nieuw Leven App
Looking ahead, Naviva is exploring further enhancements to the app, including:
- Chat functionality, allowing parents to interact with maternity care professionals directly.
- Integration with patient records, further streamlining administrative processes and care planning.
- Personalized notifications, increasing engagement while avoiding information overload.
A Benchmark for Digital Healthcare Innovation
The Nieuw Leven App is more than just a digital resource—it’s a great example of how low-code technology, human-centered design, and strategic collaboration can drive innovation in healthcare. By leveraging Mendix Native Mobile, Naviva and CLEVR have set a new standard for maternity care, proving that digital transformation is not just about technology—it’s about enhancing real-life experiences.
Want to learn how CLEVR can help transform your industry with low code solutions? Let’s Build Tomorrow Together.
Get in touch
