4.6 Tools: The Kano Model

Imagine you are a member of a product innovation team. One question you are always asking is, “Which features should we include in the product design?” Since you are operating on a budget, you need to prioritize the items on your features list. The Kano Model can help. The Kano Model focuses your attention on how customers will react to different features and invites you to compare each possible feature on two criteria:

1. Potential to Satisfy Customers. Simply put, ask, “How likely is the feature to satisfy and delight customers?”

2. Investment to Implement. Ask, "How much will it cost to fully add the feature?"

Figure 4.10 depicts three feature categories you want to consider more thoroughly. They all provide a positive satisfaction-to-cost ratio.

1. Basic Features. Customers often take basic features for granted. If your product doesn’t offer these basics, customers won’t buy it. Simply put, it is disqualified from serious consideration.

2. Performance Features. Performance features offer a straight-line return on investment. That is, customer satisfaction increases proportionately with your investment. Customers know they want these features and they weigh them carefully as they decide between your product and those of your rivals.

3. Excitement Features. Excitement features are true differentiators. Your big challenge is that customers often can’t articulate they want these features. They probably wouldn’t miss them if you don’t add them. But, because they are unexpected, they create delight. You need deep customer insight to identify excitement features.

The Kano Model helps you identify what your customers need, what they want, and what will create the “wow” factor you need to bring a hit product to market. Once you’ve identified the features you think you need to get into the competitive mix and earn customer loyalty, take your list to current users and prospective customers and see what they think.