Kano Model: What Customers Really Want From Products

Have you ever found yourself puzzling over why certain product features excite customers and others go completely overlooked? Or why certain missing features lead to frustration and complaints while others don’t even make a difference?

If yes, then the Kano Analysis can help you. The Kano Model can help understand what customers truly desire versus those aspects they don’t even bother about. Through this theory you can learn to increase customer satisfaction and overall business success. 

In this blog, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Kano model and explore ways to collect and assess customer feedback. In such a way, you can further make smart product development decisions. If your goal is to develop products people love, this framework could be just what’s needed.

Let’s start with its basics:

Kano Model Fundamentals

Dr. Noriaki Kano developed the Kano model during the 1980s. He came up with this idea for classifying product features based on their effect on customer satisfaction. Eventually, the Kano Model helps businesses understand which features are essential, driving delight to the customer experience. Also, it shows which features don’t make much difference among customers.

According to the Kano model, product features fall into five distinct categories. Here is how these five feature classes look:

Basic (Must-Have) Requirements

These features are the non-negotiable features. Customers typically expect them to exist from the start and their absence will certainly lead to dissatisfaction. For example, customers expect their hotel room to include clean beds and bathrooms. Anything less will lead to disappointed guests and potentially bad reviews for that hotel. 

Key takeaway: If you fail to provide basic customer requirements, your customers will be unhappy. No matter what other innovative, exciting features you include, chances of getting back your customer’s trust is less.

Performance (One-Dimensional) Attributes

These features directly influence customer satisfaction. The more effective they are, the happier customers become. Unlike basic requirements which do not directly increase satisfaction when met, performance attributes have an inverse relationship to satisfaction levels when fulfilled. For example: Speed of Internet services. Faster the speeds, greater the customer satisfaction, and vice versa.

Key takeaway: Enhancing performance attributes will make customers happier. However, when these features fall below expectations they reduce satisfaction significantly.

Excitement (Delighters) Features

Excitement features (also referred to as “delighters”) are the unexpected “wow” factors that delight customers unexpectedly. Customers won’t be disappointed when they are not available. But, when present they significantly boost satisfaction levels. These features often give a product an advantage in the marketplace and set it apart from rest. For example, A hotel offering unexpected free room upgrades will surely impress guests. But, when it is not their customers won’t be unhappy either.

Key takeaway: While excitement features may not be essential components, they do enhance it significantly and add to customer retention rates.

Indifferent Features

Customers don’t place much importance on indifferent features. You would why? Because, their presence or absence has no significant effect on customer relationships. For example, Smartphone apps which enable changing of theme color settings. While certain users might utilize such options, customer satisfaction doesn’t rely much on that feature.

Key takeaway: Spending both time and money on features which do not impact satisfaction is ineffective. Instead, go for focusing on elements which matter the most.

Reverse Features

These are the tricky features that often provoke strong opinions among your customers. For, example: Attractive users might appreciate autoplay videos on websites while others find them annoying. Or, some customers enjoy cuisine at restaurants, while others don’t go for it. 

Key takeaway: In general, reverse features should be handled carefully. It’s better to make things optional which means allowing customers to enable or disable them. This way, you can satisfy both sides.

Customer Survey Design

Once you understand the Kano analysis model, the next step for you is collecting accurate data. A well-structured customer survey can help identify which features truly matter to your customers.

Designing a Kano Model Survey

An individual Kano survey comprises two pairs of questions for customers for every feature. Those are:

1. Functional Question: This question asks “How would you feel if this feature was included?”
2. Dysfunctional Question: This is about “How would you feel if this feature was NOT included?”

For both, respondents choose from:

• I like it
• I expect it
• I’m neutral
• I can tolerate it
• I dislike it

By analyzing how customers respond to these paired questions, you can categorize features properly. You can see if it comes under basic requirements, performance attributes, excitement features, indifferent features or reverse features.

Here are some tips for effective surveys:

• Use clear, simple language. Confusing questions lead to unreliable responses.
• Limit the number of features per survey. Overloading customers with too many questions can cause survey fatigue.
• Ensure a diverse respondent pool. Different customer segments may have different preferences.

A well-executed survey is crucial for feature prioritization. It will help you align features with real customer expectations.

Basic Requirements Identification

Let’s talk about the “must-haves.” These are the features customers don’t necessarily rave about. However, they’ll definitely complain if they’re missing.

How to identify Basic Requirements?

• Look at complaints and negative feedback. If customers frequently express frustration over a missing feature, it’s likely a basic requirement.
• Analyze competitor offerings. If all your competitors include a certain feature, customers will likely expect it from you too.
• Check survey responses. If most respondents say they “expect” a feature but don’t express excitement over it, it’s a must-have.

Why are basic requirements non-negotiable?

Customers won’t be happy if a product doesn’t fulfill its basic requirements, regardless of all its other impressive features! Without basic ones, customers will remain dissatisfied.

For example, in the initial stage of market research for software products, security features may not seem particularly engaging. However, without them users will feel unsafe and leave. 

So, before moving onto performance or excitement features, ensure the essentials have been satisfied.

Performance Attributes Analysis

Performance attributes are where you can truly differentiate yourself from the competition. These are the features that directly impact customer satisfaction. Plus, it can help you lead to happier customers.

How to identify Performance Features ?

• Customer Feedback on Variations – If optimizing one feature leads to noticeable customer satisfaction gains, you can consider that feature as worth optimizing. 
• Competitor Analysis – If customers prefer another company’s product because of one specific feature, that feature could represent an optimization opportunity for you. You should go exploring that feature.

Balancing Performance Features:

You might be tempted to overdo performance features to ensure customer satisfaction. However, make sure you keep a balance. Otherwise things could get out of hand quickly.

• Enhance performance attributes wisely. Expanding product speed, battery life and efficiency is great- but up to a point. 
• Consider the cost vs benefit when making any improvements as per customer requirements. Over delivering can become expensive without enough added value being gained in return.

Excitement Factors Discovery

Excitement features, or “delighters,” are what make customers fall in love with a product. These are the features that people didn’t even know they wanted. However, once they experience them, they can’t imagine going without them.

How to discover Excitement Features ?

• Pay attention to positive surprise reactions. If customers say, “I didn’t expect this, but it’s amazing,” you’ve found an excitement feature.
• Listen to innovation-focused customers. Early adopters and tech enthusiasts often spot exciting trends before the mainstream market.
• Experiment with small innovations. Sometimes, tiny unexpected changes lead to major satisfaction boosts.

Why Do Delighters Matter ?

Excitement features create customer loyalty and set products apart from competitors. While customers may initially buy it to fulfill basic needs, their love grows quickly through delighters such as unique design elements or pleasing packaging design.

By consistently investigating small yet impactful innovations, you can create products that exceed customers’ expectations. 

Data Analysis Methods

Collecting customer survey data is only half of the battle. To truly uncover meaningful insights from the Kano model, you need to analyze it. 

Using the Kano Model Classification Table

The Kano analysis model uses a classification table to categorize features based on how customers respond to survey questions.

Interpreting the Data

• Excitement Features – Customers love these when present but do not miss them when absent. 
• Basic Requirements – Customers expect certain features. And, their absence leading to discontentment from customers. 
• Performance Attributes – The better these attributes are designed the higher customer satisfaction will be.
• Reverse Features – Some customers love them, while others dislike them, requiring careful handling.

By classifying features correctly, you can make data-driven decisions to focus on what matters the most.

Priority Setting Framework

Once the data is analyzed, it’s time to act. But not all features can be implemented at once. Therefore, feature prioritization is the key.

Steps to prioritize features:

1. Ensure all basic requirements are in place. Missing these leads to dissatisfaction.
2. Optimize performance attributes. The better these are, the more satisfied customers become.
3. Add excitement features where feasible. These create differentiation and emotional engagement.
4. Ignore indifferent features. If customers don’t care, why waste resources?
5. Handle reverse features carefully. If some customers love a feature and others hate it, consider making it optional.

This structured approach ensures maximum impact with minimal wasted effort.

Implementation Strategy

Once you have accumulated the insights from Kano, the next step should be incorporating them into your product development process. 

Applying Kano Insights to Product Development:

• Align teams on priorities. Everyone from developers to marketers needs a shared understanding of which features matter the most. 
• Roll out features in phases. Start with must-haves, improve performance, and then introduce excitement features.
• Recollect customer feedback regularly to stay competitive in your market. Customer expectations shift quickly. Therefore, ongoing reevaluation ensures your product can stay at the forefront.

Why Does This Approach Work ?

By adopting the Kano model into your development process, you ensure every feature of your product serves a purpose. It could be meeting expectations or improving customer satisfaction. Thus, such a structured approach ensures better products for customers while strengthening market positioning.

Final Thoughts

The Kano analysis model is a powerful tool for market research and feature prioritization. By distinguishing between must-haves, performance boosters, and delighters, businesses can focus on what truly matters.

If you want to create products that customers not only use but love, start applying the Kano model today!