Kano Model
The Kano Model is a Product development strategy created by Noriaki Kano in the 1980s. It’s a model used in correlating proposed features with customer satisfaction. This helps best prioritize design features with respect to the level of implementation. In the Kano model, customer preference can be divided into 5 categories. Must-be qualities, one-dimensional, attractive, indifferent, and reverse quality. The qualities above are usually represented on a graph. The customer satisfaction and implementation status on each axis. The x-axis represents customer satisfaction while the y-axis represents functionality with features.
Must-be qualities are features in which a less-fully functional product leads to a customer not being satisfied. That said customer satisfaction never rises over neutral despite the level of functionality. With attractive, high functionality is proportional to satisfaction. Although customer satisfaction is never affected by less functionality. One-Dimensional qualities are directly proportional to the satisfaction of users. Hence great functionality is synonymous to great satisfaction and vice versa. Indifferent qualities are those that don’t affect customer satisfaction in any way. Therefore, customers are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the functionality. Reverse qualities are features that are not wanted by users. In fact, users want the opposite of that feature hence the name Reverse.
A couple of weeks ago I talked about the user/customer journey map. I spoke about how it helps visualize the entire user journey and interaction across many touchpoints. The Kano model is very similar in the sense that it also shows the users’ journey and interaction except on a graph. Each interaction is mapped based on the 5 qualities mentioned earlier. With the goal of each feature eventually becoming must-be qualities. In the customer journey map where we are mainly trying to unearth general insights. The Kano Model instead unearths specific insights and how important they are to the customer.
In conclusion, the Kano model helps establishes a sense of satisfactory competition for one-dimensional features. Also, it introduces innovation and a means to stand out from competitors with regard to attractive features.
