Requirements analysis with Kano methodology
The Kano Model was developed by Professor Noriaki Kano in the 1980s, based on his research on customer satisfaction and product quality. The customer satisfaction can be viewed as a result by in which degree the requirements of a customer to a specific product whether is fulfilled or not. Therefore, identification of in which extend the customer requirements can be fulfilled (or not) especially in the early phase of the product design and development is key for a commercial successful product on the market.
In my shop I offer a template to evaluate requirements and identify requirements classification according to Kano methodology.
The result of the Kano methodology is an assessment whether a requirement is „Basic requirement“, „Performance Requirement“ or an „Enthusiasm Requirement“ from customer point of view.
(Customer satisfaction based on fulfillment of certain customer requirements)
For example, the methodology applied on a Sports Touring Motorcycle on just some possible customer requirements as an example.
For a sports touring motorcycle, like the Suzuki GSX-S 1000 GT, there can from customer point of view five requirements.
(Picture by Suzuki Motor Company, all rights reserved).
With application of the Kano methodology the following requirement classification can be assumed.
The first requirement „Motorcycle has more than 200hp“ is not relevant for a buyer of sports touring machine, as this may be obvious and true for many sports touring motorcycle buyers it is at the same time a result of the applied Kano methodology. A typical buyer of sports touring machine is not looking for a race machine with more than 200 (ridiculous)hp. Therefore, the development team can skip this requirement and focus on reasonable power to call it a sports tourer but not a racer. These kinds of requirements can help to cut costs and focus on the customers real needs and requirements to a product.
The requirement „Motorcycle has comfortable seating position.“ is according the Kano methodology classified as „Basic requirement“, which is indeed also reasonable for a customer who is looking for a touring machine, as he is planning long tours where comfortable and ergonomic seating position is a must and therefore can be indeed classified as basic requirement for an touring motorcycle, where as an Cornering ABS („Curve ABS“ in the graphics sorry for the bad translation from German to English) can be classified as an „Enthusiasm Requirement“, as there also a lot of motorcycle riders who may accept that the requirement of having a Cornering ABS is not fulfilled is acceptable and is seen as „nice to have“. Of course, a Cornering ABS is a masterpiece of technology nowadays. The Cornering ABS-System monitors with acceleration sensors the leaning angle and applies smooth brake pressure automatically (at front and rear brakes) so that the motorcycle will not lean further and the risk for the rider to have a low side crash will be dramatically reduced. This can be viewed as requirement which brings excitement and boosts the satisfaction of the customer the better it is technically implemented. It belongs together with classified „Performance requirements“ to requirements which have huge impact to the buying decision criteria of customers.
The fulfillment of a „Basic Requirement“, „Enthusiasm Requirement“ as well as a „Performance Requirement“ can be critical for buying decision of a customer. The better they are technically fulfilled, the higher the customer expectation is met and so the customer satisfaction will be higher and in the totally met (see graphic above „Customer satisfaction based on fulfillment of certain customer requirements“).
If the competitors of the product are all fulfilling „Basic Requirements“, „Enthusiasm Requirements“ (or also „Excitement Requirements“) and „Performance Requirements“ it will be hard to compete with other manufacturers if these requirements are not all fulfilled by the own product. So, the analysis and the decision which requirement to be fulfilled for the development of a product must be set in stark contrast to the competitor’s fulfillment of customer requirements.
