| Developed in the 80's by Professor | | | | unexpected by customers and can be |
| Noriaki Kano, the Kano model is based on | | | | difficult to establish as needs during |
| the concepts of customer quality and | | | | initial design. They are sometimes |
| provides a simple ranking scheme which | | | | called unknown or latent needs. |
| distinguishes between essential and | | | | Next, we organize customer needs into a |
| differentiating attributes. The model is | | | | Critical-To-Quality tree |
| a powerful way of visualizing product | | | | The purpose of Critical-To-Quality trees |
| characteristics and stimulating debate | | | | is to convert customer needs/wants to |
| within the design team. Kano also | | | | measurable requirements for the business |
| produced a rigorous methodology for | | | | to implement. |
| mapping consumer responses into the | | | | For example: A retail merchant was |
| model. | | | | receiving a significant number of |
| Product characteristics can be | | | | complaints regarding their homeowner |
| classified as: | | | | warranty policies from their customers. |
| Threshold / Basic attributes - | | | | By analyzing customer survey data and |
| Attributes which must be present in | | | | developing the CTQ tree, the business |
| order for the product to be successful, | | | | was able to identify |
| and can be viewed as a 'price of entry'. | | | | critical-to-satisfaction requirements. |
| However, the customer will remain | | | | These requirements became the focus for |
| neutral towards the product even with | | | | improving customer satisfaction. The |
| improved execution of these threshold | | | | business eliminated mandatory warranty |
| and basic attributes. | | | | visits and made all warranty visits |
| One dimensional attributes (Performance | | | | optional. Eliminating mandatory visits |
| Linear) - These characteristics are | | | | satisfied the customers who thought |
| directly correlated to customer | | | | there were too many visits and adding an |
| satisfaction. Increased functionality or | | | | extra optional visit satisfied customers |
| quality of execution will result in | | | | who thought there were too few visits. |
| increased customer satisfaction. | | | | Expanding the time frame for scheduling |
| Conversely, decreased functionality | | | | warranty visits from two weeks to three |
| results in greater dissatisfaction. | | | | months eliminated the inconvenience for |
| Product price is often related to these | | | | customers who had busy schedules and |
| attributes. | | | | found the time frame difficult to |
| Attractive attributes (Exciters / | | | | manage. |
| Delighters) - Customers receive great | | | | The business took a general, |
| satisfaction from a feature and are | | | | difficult-to-measure need (to improve |
| willing to pay a price premium. However, | | | | homeowner warranty satisfaction) and |
| satisfaction will not decrease (below | | | | developed specific, measurable, and |
| neutral) if the product lacks the | | | | actionable requirements to drive |
| feature. These features are often | | | | improvements in customer satisfaction. |