The Kano Model is used in product development and focuses on the features of a particular product and customer satisfaction. It has a number of components to the model itself and is broken down into five key categories: one-dimensional quality, attractive quality, must-be quality, indifferent quality, and reverse quality.

The Kano Model was created by Professor Noriaki Kano in the 1980s and has since become an integral aspect of product development for many companies around the world. The underlying concept behind the Kano Model is that consumers have particular needs (must haves) and desires (wants) that they both consciously and unconsciously look for in the products they purchase. This is true for both regular necessities as well as one-time purchases.

The Five Key Categories of the Kano Model
The following list breaks down the five categories of the Kano Model:

• One-dimensional quality: This refers to characteristics of a product that will deliver satisfaction when fulfilled or met, but dissatisfaction when they are not met. These attributes of the product are those that the company producing them will tout and highlight and are often key competitive factors among companies. An example of a one-dimensional quality would be a product that is promised to contain 25% more for the same price as the original amount. When fulfilled, the customer will feel satisfied, but if the product only contains 20% more in reality, then the customer will feel misled.
• Attractive quality: This refers to a trait that a product might possess that will be a bit of a bonus, or pleasant surprise for the customer, but wouldn’t change the customer’s satisfaction level if it wasn’t included. A simple example of this might be a thermostat included in a whole turkey package. The customer may already have one, but including the simple pop-up gauge to determine when it’s cooked thoroughly can be a nice bonus feature.
• Must-be quality: This refers to attributes that are often taken for granted, but when they are not included, will tend to lead to dissatisfaction with the product. A carton of milk that leaks would be an example of a ‘must-be’ quality. Customers expect cartons to not leak, so if they leak, and that can happen quite often, they may blame the manufacturer for it.
• Indifferent quality: These are attributes that don’t affect the customer’s opinion of the product in any way. These qualities are not considered good or bad.
• Reverse quality: When customers are used to conducting their business or daily lives in a certain manner, adding more technology in an effort to simplify the process can actually turn some customers off initially. An example of a reverse quality could be ATM machines at banks during their early release. Replacing tellers was frustrating for customers and the technology was different. In the beginning, many customers ignored the ATMs until they became accustomed to the technology.

The Kano Model helps companies develop products and improve their customer satisfaction by focusing on these five qualities in development and marketing. It’s important to note, though, that the Kano Model also indicates that innovations or additions to products that boost customer satisfaction in the beginning have a tendency to become must haves, or basic needs, over time.