Kano Model
Use it when you need to identify which features will delight users versus which are just baseline expectations.
Category
Originator
Time to implement
Difficulty
Popular in
What is it?
The Kano Model is a feature‐prioritization framework that helps you categorize product attributes based on how they impact customer satisfaction.
Originally developed by Dr. Noriaki Kano, it classifies features into five buckets, Must‐Haves (basic expectations), Performance (linear drivers of satisfaction), Delighters (unexpected perks), Indifferent (neutral impact), and Reverse (dissatisfiers for some users). By running a functional/dysfunctional user survey, you uncover which features users take for granted versus those that wow them. This approach solves the common product‐development problem of wasting resources on low‐impact tweaks or overlooking ‘delighters' that boost engagement.
With the Kano Model, you base roadmap decisions on quantitative customer feedback, balancing baseline expectations against innovation. Search terms like “Kano analysis,” “customer satisfaction framework,” and “feature classification” usually point you here, because nothing beats seeing your roadmap through your users' eyes.
Why it matters?
By pinpointing which features customers expect versus those that delight, the Kano Model ensures you invest development resources where they drive maximum satisfaction and reduce churn. That leads to higher retention, better word‐of‐mouth, and more efficient use of your engineering budget, fueling scalable, sustainable growth.
How it works
Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.
1
Define your feature list
Gather candidate features or improvements you're considering and write clear descriptions for each.
2
Design Kano survey
For each item, create paired questions, one functional (“How would you feel if this existed?”) and one dysfunctional (“How would you feel if it didn't?”), with a five‐point satisfaction scale.
3
Collect and categorize responses
Survey a representative user sample, then map answers to Kano categories (Must‐Have, Performance, Delighter, Indifferent, Reverse) based on response patterns.
4
Quantify impact
Calculate the percentage of responses in each category per feature. Rank features by their potential to boost satisfaction or avoid dissatisfaction.
5
Prioritize your roadmap
Invest in Must‐Haves to prevent churn, optimize Performance features for growth, and selectively build Delighters to surprise and retain users.
Frequently asked questions
Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.
You've used the Kano Model to uncover must‐haves and surprise delighters, now use the CrackGrowth diagnostic to spot hidden UX blockers in those high‐impact features and launch targeted experiments that skyrocket your customer satisfaction.