What is a Kano Analysis?
Last updated: October 21, 2025 Read in fullscreen view
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What is Kano Analysis?
The Kano Model is an analysis tool to explore and measure customer needs. It’s a way to identify the basic needs of customers, as well as performance and excitement requirements. This model is based on the view that functionality is not the only measure of how ‘good’ a product. Customer emotions should also be taken into account.
The idea is that, as important as the basic functions of products or services are, adding new attractive features will help with customer satisfaction. For instance, when buying a new car, you’d expect the car to go faster when you accelerate. However, adding a virtual assistant feature would increase customer satisfaction and make you stand out from competitors.
The Kano model is a theory for product development and customer satisfaction developed in the 1980s by Professor Noriaki Kano, which classifies customer preferences into five categories.
How does a Kano Analysis Work?
The categories have been changed to the English language by use of different terminologies like satisfiers, dissatisfiers, exciters amongst others. All in all, they all make references to the works done by Kano.
Must-be Quality
These are the expectations of customers that are never given serious consideration. Customers tend to be dissatisfied when performed poorly while they become neutral when done well. Kano referred to them as must-be due to the fact that they are not only the basic needs to be considered but also the price involved when penetrating the market. Examples include greeting customers in a call center and providing a clean room in a hotel, all termed as basic needs.
One-dimensional Quality
When it is fulfilled, it leads to satisfaction and dissatisfaction in case it is not achieved. These are the factors which people discuss and also result in competition amongst the companies. A practical case is a packet of milk containing 10 percent more milk sold at a similar price. This enhances customer satisfaction. On the other hand, the customer will feel cheated and dissatisfied if the milk contains only 6% but at a similar price. Examples include the time spent in ironing out customer concern during a call.
Attractive Quality
These features enhance satisfaction when fully realized, but don't result in dissatisfaction when not achieved. They are those attributes that are never predicted or expected for instance using a thermometer to find out milk temperature. No one speaks about these unexpected attributes which excite customers. Examples include call centers where prompt and efficient customer attendance may not be appreciated neither it may be necessary to satisfy customers. The same narrative is applicable to hotels and restaurants.
Indifferent Quality
These are the features that are neither positive nor negative and do not lead to either customer dissatisfaction or customer satisfaction. For instance, the level of thickness of the wax on a carton of milk. This may be very very important in designing and manufacturing while consumers may not be familiar with those differences. It is normally advisable to point out those aspects of the product and limit them; this will reduce the cost of production. Examples include prompt and efficient responses in a call center which may not be appreciated.
Reverse Quality
These are the high level of achievement that results to dissatisfaction and the different nature of customers. A case example is whereby some customers like high technology products while others like basic products and tend to be dissatisfied with complex products. Examples are a call center using a lot of complex languages, using a lot of pleasantries, excessive scripts while addressing customers. Also in hotels setting high standards that you cannot meet makes customers not to be satisfied.
In order to get to these definitions, consumers are asked two questions:
- How do you feel if you have this feature? (Functional Question)
- How do you feel if you do not have this feature? (Dysfunctional Question)
Both questions are answered on a five-point, single-coded scale. The chart below shows how each feature is categorised based on the answers to the functional vs dysfunctional questions.
A – Attractive features – These features are not expected but are liked by customers
M – Must-be features – These are must have features and customers dislike not having them
P – Performance features – Features customers like having and dislike not having
I – Indifferent features – Customers are neutral to the feature or can tolerate it
Q – Questionable features – Conflicting responses from customers
R – Reverse features – When customers like not having the feature or dislike having it
Weaknesses of Kano Analysis
- As great as the results we receive are, analysing them is difficult and requires a high level of knowledge to do it right.
- These surveys can be tedious and dull, there’s not much variety in terms of questions being asked and depending on the number of features in question, the survey can get quite exhausting (for this reason it is important to give as much time and effort at the start of the project as the end).
Tips on using Kano Analysis
- When listing out features, it’s a good idea to show what the feature does through a prototype, or an explanatory text description.
- The number of features being tested also has an effect on the results of the Kano Analysis, so it is recommended that you test between 15-20 features.
- Selecting customers is another important step. You must consider certain demographics and personas that your customers belong to, in order to achieve results that will be representative of your target audience.
- Clarity of each question is also vital; one feature should be present in each question and it should be designed to benefit the user.
- Other than just having a question, it might be useful to have a display of what each feature does and then ask them a question. This interactive display will help them to better understand the functionality of each feature, whilst also making the questionnaire more interactive and interesting for respondents.
At TIGOSOFT, we have a team of researchers who are well-seasoned with carrying out Kano analysis. Some common sectors that we have used Kano for include construction and IT and software, but it is a technique which can be applied to any relevant product or service. To find out more and see how we can help you, simply drop us an email or give us a call.
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