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.