KANO Analysis

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Engineering Area
Analysis & problem definition, Assessment & evaluation
Group or Individual
Group, Individual
Amount of People
Up to 15
Type of Class
Practice-based
Duration of Activity
More than 2 hours
Type of Activity
Collaborative team setting, On-line Classroom activity, Self-work by students

Description

What is this technique about

The Kano Analysis model (pronounced “Kah-no”) is an analysis tool used to explore and measure the customer’s emotional responses to the product’s features. Using a kano model questionnaire, product features are categorised across two axes: functionality and satisfaction. The tool allows for prioritising features and creating product roadmaps based on the likelihood of customer satisfaction.

Where does it come from?

The kano analysis model was published by Dr. Noriaki Kano, professor of quality management at the Tokyo University of Science, in 1984.

For which purposes it is used (why in your engineering teaching)

KANO method can be introduced to the students to teach the concept of need analysis and market research on what Is desired by the users.

Dr. Noriaki Kano identified five emotional response types that affect customer satisfaction:

    1. Must-be (or must have) features.
    2. Performance features.
    3. Attractive features.
    4. Indifferent features
    5. Reverse features

By addressing these 5 emotional response types, a student will be able to analyse the market’s requirements and prioritise them to create impactful innovation.

How to use it

    1. Choose the right features for creating the questionnaire of optimal length. It is advisable to test upto 20 features to prevent questionnaires from being too long. Typically a 7-scale or 5-scale likert scale is used for the responses.
    2. Choose the right customer sample based on customer segmentation, market segmentation and target personas.
    3. Collect data from the sample pool and analyse the data using data analysis techniques.
    4. Plot the analysed data based on kano chart categorised by kano’s 5 emotional responses.

How to implement this techniques online

Kano’s analysis consists of several interconnected steps: questionnaire preparation, survey distribution, data analysis, and chart preparation. This requires multiple tools, and the integration of multiple online tools and offline tools may be used.

Preparation, what do before the session
    1. Prepare a time schedule and clarify for yourself the purpose of using the method. You will then be better able to explain the activity to the students.
    2. Create a whiteboard space in an application such as Miro or Mural and ask students to login and accept the collaboration invitation before the session.
    3. Make a guideline for the students and describe the target area and what they shall do during the feature collection and analysis phase.
    4. Students can do this task individually or in groups. If you want to allocate them to groups, prepare a document that assigns them to groups, and upload this document also.

During application, i.e., while giving the session

    1. Introduce the session by giving the participants basic information about the exercise (e.g., timeline, guidelines, templates)
    2. Ask the students to create a list of features to be tested with a maximum of 20 features.
    3. Ask students to create a survey form using tools like google form to evaluate the selected features.
    4. Review the questions for any bias.
    5. Ask the students to distribute and collect the responses.
    6. Ask students to use tools such as google sheet or MS excel to analyse the data obtained from the survey and identify the 5 feature types in KANO model.

Follow-up, about what to do after the session

    1. Ask students to create the KANO chart based on the results.

Examples and/or testimonials

Video online on YouTube:

Tools needed

For applying the technique in an online setting, the following tools are required:

    • A whiteboard platform allows for organising the data while allowing the members to work collaboratively. Example of tools:
      • Mural
      • Miro
      • Concept Board
    • A survey application to collect data from users. Examples of tools:
      • Google Forms
      • MS Forms
      • PollEverywhere

Resources

Videos

EPM. (2021, February 4). The Kano Model Explained. [Video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcnw5ohg8to

David McLachlan. (2022, February 25). How to Make a Kano Analysis Chart in Excel (Product satisfaction over its lifetime). [Video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMPxOKZvdtg

Books

Coleman, Sr. (2017). The Customer-Driven Organization: Employing the Kano Model. Productivity Press.