Kano Model
Developed by Noriaki Kano, this model classifies product features by how they affect customer satisfaction. Features fall into five categories: Must-Be (expected, cause dissatisfaction if absent), One-Dimensional (more = better), Attractive (delighters, unexpected), Indifferent (users don't care), or Reverse (some users don't want this). It moves feature discussions beyond gut feel into structured customer insight.
How to run it
- 1
Create a Kano survey with paired questions for each feature: 'How do you feel if this feature IS present?' and 'How do you feel if this feature is NOT present?'. Each answer: I like it / I expect it / I'm neutral / I can live with it / I dislike it.
- 2
Have participants or target users complete the survey.
- 3
Use the Kano evaluation table to map each response pair to a category (Must-Be, One-Dimensional, Attractive, Indifferent, Reverse).
- 4
Aggregate results across respondents to find the dominant category per feature.
- 5
Prioritise: Must-Be features first (they're table stakes), then One-Dimensional, then Attractive delighters.
- 6
Drop or deprioritise Indifferent and Reverse features.
Tips
Run Kano with real users or close proxies — don't let the product team fill it in for customers.
Even a small sample (8–12 people) gives usable signal.
Variations
For internal workshops without user access, run a proxy Kano where team members roleplay as different user personas. Combine with dot voting for quick feature prioritisation when time is short.
Where it fits
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Kano Model?▾
Use Kano Model when you want to: Product feature prioritisation; UX research synthesis; Roadmap planning; Customer discovery workshops.
How long does Kano Model take?▾
Kano Model typically takes 45–120 minutes.
How many participants does Kano Model work for?▾
Kano Model works best for groups of 2–20 participants.
What materials do I need for Kano Model?▾
To run Kano Model you will need: list of features, Kano survey form per participant, spreadsheet for analysis.
How difficult is Kano Model to facilitate?▾
Kano Model is rated intermediate — some facilitation experience is helpful.
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