Kano Model – Product Development Method

Kano model is one of the product development methods that is used in agile frameworks, and it is a theory for product development and customer satisfaction. This model was developed by Professor Noriaki Kano in the 1980s.

This model categorizes customer satisfaction into five different categories:

1. Must-be quality

2. One-dimensional quality

3. Attractive quality

4. Indifferent quality

5. Reverse quality

Figure: Kano Model

Performance Needs: These are some of the requirements that increase customer satisfaction along with the level of a feature provided. (E.g. when the battery life of a smartphone is higher in comparison to other competitors then higher the customer satisfaction)

Must-Be Quality: These are some of the basic requirements that the end users/customers take for granted and expect to be implemented fully. Failure to provide or when not fully implemented, customers get highly dissatisfied. (E.g. when we buy a smartphone, we expect it to have basic mobile features like messaging, call, camera, etc., failure to provide it will result in dissatisfaction)

One Dimensional Quality: These requirements are called exciters or delighters, when provided customers get happy and satisfied, but failure to provide these features will result in dissatisfaction. (E.g. A smartphone being waterproof is something that customers did not think of but gets happy when provided with, and when the feature does not work it results in high dissatisfaction). Over time when the company keeps providing attractive features, it becomes as one of the basic needs that customer starts expecting.

Attractive Quality: These are some of the qualities that provide satisfaction when provided and failure to provide does not cause dissatisfaction. (E.g. providing a free gadget or another offer when purchasing the smartphone results in excitement but failure to provide does not necessarily cause dissatisfaction).

Indifferent: These are some of the features that do not provide any change in customer satisfaction even if they are provided or not. These are some of the features that can be avoided as they are money sink features and does not have any effect on customer satisfaction or profit. (E.g Some of the special edition fancy look and designs are often money sinks as they do not hold much value, as customers often give importance to the features rather than just the look of it)

Careful evaluations of the customers, prioritizing the features provided and market data analysis are some of the ways that can be taken into consideration to help categorize the customer requirements and designing a product.

References:

Wikipedia contributors. (2020a, May 31). Kano model. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kano_model

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