App rejected on 4.2 Design: Minimum Functionality

My app has been rejected (several times now) on ground of 4.2. Design: Minimun Functionality.
I'm not getting any useful comments on what they're expecting to see changed to get it approved.

This is what they say:


We still found that the usefulness of your app is limited by the minimal amount of content or features it includes.


We encourage you to review your app concept and incorporate different content and features that are in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.


We understand that there are no hard and fast rules to define useful or entertaining, but Apple and Apple customers expect apps to provide a really great user experience. Apps should provide valuable utility or entertainment, draw people in by offering compelling capabilities or content, or enable people to do something they couldn't do before or in a way they couldn't do it before.


I've created an app that allows users to create Current Reality Trees, something business can use to help them with their business growth. Based on the work of Eliyahu M. Goldratt. As far as I know there is no other app that lets you create CRT's, so I'd say it enables people to do something they couldn't do before or in a way they couldn't do it before.
Since the first rejection on this same point I've added iCloud synchronisation, Possible solutions lists (a next step after creating a CRT), better usability, color tags and a way to collaborate on CRT documents.
I'm running out of ideas on what to add and I want to avoid the app becoming bloatware.
If you'd like to can try the app via TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/4Az1fSt5
Also something I did, let potential users try the app and add functionality based on their suggestions.
Does someone have a suggestion on how to move forward in this situation?

Replies

Did you appeal?


If so, what did you say?


How many times?


How many rejections?


What did each rejection say?


Were you told to resubmit?

I have not tested your app but just read what you describe.


From shocka comment (should thank him to have taken time to download and test), it seems you have some need to polish the app, but most important, help users get value out of it (notably if they pay for the app) and so understand the value as well.


Looks like your app is essentially a tree editor.

Does your app include a tutorial on how to proceed to perform a CRT ?

I've read some basic examples on wikipedia, you could probably include more real life examples and provide guidelines on how to proceed at each step:

- how to list the observables (symptoms)

- how to find possible causes for an observation.

- how to prune some causes

- …


Imagine youself helping a user on a real case CRT. What questions would you ask to elaborate the CRT ?


Last point, have you checked CRT is not copyrighted ?

Thanks for your help!
I don't see the comment you mention from 'shocka'?
I did already change the app to be free. Perhaps that will help on the next submission.
I don't need to make money of it, but I do think users are willing to pay for it. The only alternative I know of is a (non iOS) program that costs 250 dollar. I created the app because I thought they other program was to difficult to use. I'll be using it myself, but I do know of others who also like to use the app.
Perhaps I would need to create a video that shows how a CRT is created in the app?
So usage and how it works become more clear?

Hi, I made a public utility app for a hospital that needed a mobile application for entering bookings for patients' home visits. The app consists of a single booking form and a page for accepting privacy policies. No other functions are needed but it is constantly rejected by the app store because it does not meet the minimum functionalities or is even considered useless.

The app is instead very useful and has a single screen because it only serves to book visits. How can I publish it?

Maybe try adding more pictures showing different places in your app. This worked for us when at first it was rejected on the grounds of not having enough functionality when in reality it was jam-packed with it, but the pictures didn't show it.

Should the patient enter the booking or the employee?

If the bookings where made by employees only you should take a look at the Apple Developer Enterprise Program.

https://developer.apple.com/programs/enterprise/

Otherwise you have to make an app, that fullfills Apples concept of a 'real' app. And that includes, that an app does more, than a webpage can.


Greetings

Brigitte

I've downloaded the CRT Creator through the TestFlight link from its website. It has potential, although frankly I found it very hard to use, hence not very useful as an "app".


You should have an introduction in the app of what is a CRT - a short 1-3 screen "welcome" dialog that is showed automatically at first run (only) and subsequently accessible through a menu or button buried somewhere deep within the app.


It's also not clear on how to link one node to the next, in order to create something like the example CRT that you've provided. Furthermore I can't seem to unlink nodes - even when I did the same gesture to link one node to the other (i.e tapping one node and then tapping another).


You might want to take cue from mind-mapping apps like MindNode or Scapple and see how they present the interface to the user.


For example, you could try having a drag gesture from one node to another to link it, and the same drag gesture would break an existing link between two nodes. You could also provide an option in the node detail to link the node to another – would probably be useful for a larger CRT.


Also you could provide import/export - maybe even print functionality (which is essentially export to PDF for iOS' AirPrint).


Again, mind-mapping and diagramming tools are valid cases of an "app" and I see yours as a special case of "highly structured diagramming tool" – it's just a matter of making it easier for the user to create and maintain such diagrams and convincing App Review of its value.


You might want to review this guide which may provide some further idea to extend your app further.

I recently finally launched my app to the App Store. It was consistently rejected for the same reason (Guideline 4.2.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality) for about a month before the first approval. It was a very struggling experience. Below are the things I tried. I hope it could help people who are in a similar situation.

Context: My app is for reading tech news (e.g. TechCrunch) and Venture Capital blogs (e.g. YC, A16z). I also use ML to generate audio for articles so users can listen to them like a podcast.
More details: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1529509067

Here are the things I tried:
  • Explain to reviewers that by nature a news aggregation app will mainly include links. Failed.

  • Show thumbnails for articles. Failed. 

  • Load parsed content directly instead of showing the source websites. Failed

  • Add the "article bookmark" feature. Failed.

  • Explain to reviewers that "article bookmark" uses persistent storage and it can't be done through a website. Failed.

  • Add the "article commenting" feature. Failed.

  • Update the app metadata (description, screenshots) to highlight the "audio" feature. Failed.

  • Explain to reviewers that "audio" is a differentiator and the feature largely leverages native iOS functionalities. Approved!

Looking back, in my case, the original concept of "listen to articles" was probably already sufficient, but we just really need to help reviewers get it.
  • Where do we need to add this for the reviewers to see. Would we need to add this in the description? Please let me know

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Did you ever manage to get this onto the App Store? I'm quite interested in this app, as I'm looking for an iPadOS-friendly Flying Logic alternative.

Hi, I tried to explain it in previous messages but maybe I wasn't able to explain, this version of the app serves to correct the bug of the previous version, so we are trying to publish it. I saw that it would be nice if you could publish it, thanks