The Kano model was developed by Noriaki Kano. It classifies the attributes of a product into three groups.
1. Basic or Threshold Attributes.
- Customers assume that these attributes will be present.
- If they are not present or are of low quality, customers will be dissatisfied.
- If they are present, customers’ satisfaction will not increase.
Example: clear call quality, error-free operation of the smartphone.
2. Performance / Linear Attributes.
- The customer’s satisfaction is directly related to the attribute.
- Higher quality means more satisfaction; lower quality means less satisfaction.
Example: Fast speed, more memory in the smartphone
3. Exciters or Delighters.
- Customers don’t expect these attributes, but they increase satisfaction.
- If they are missing, customers are not more dissatisfied.
- If they are present, customers are more satisfied.
Example: facial recognition to unlock the smartphone
The point of the Kano analysis is to determine which attributes of a product are most important to provide with good quality.