Summary
Understanding what customers truly value is essential to improving products and services, yet not all customer requirements affect satisfaction equally. The Kano model provides a structured approach for identifying and classifying customer needs based on their impact on satisfaction. This presentation explores the five Kano categories: must-be, one-dimensional, attractive, indifferent, and reverse attributes, and demonstrates how organizations can use these classifications to better understand the voice of the customer and prioritize improvement efforts. Participants will learn how to identify relevant customer attributes, develop functional and dysfunctional Kano questionnaire questions, analyze responses, and evaluate the strength and importance of customer requirements. An interactive example focused on the process of boarding a flight will demonstrate the methodology in practice.
This Presentation will cover:
- Understanding the voice of the customer through the Kano model
- The five Kano categories of customer requirements
- Identifying and defining customer attributes
- Developing functional and dysfunctional Kano questionnaire questions
- Analyzing and interpreting Kano results, including category and total strength
- Using Kano findings to prioritize improvement opportunities
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Elizabeth A. Cudney is President of Cudney Consulting Group, LLC, and Professor of Data Analytics in the John E. Simon School of Business at Maryville University. She is internationally recognized for her contributions to Lean Six Sigma, operational excellence, Quality 4.0, artificial intelligence, and data analytics. Dr. Cudney has authored or coauthored 19 books, published more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, and presented keynote addresses around the world. Her work focuses on integrating Lean Six Sigma with emerging digital technologies to improve organizational performance and support digital transformation.
She is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the Shingo Publication Award, the ASQ Grant Medal, the ASQ Crosby Medal, and the International Academy for Quality Walter E. Masing Book Prize. Dr. Cudney is an ASQ Fellow, IISE Fellow, ASEM Fellow, and IAQ Academician, and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with eight ASQ certifications.