Increasing accuracy of the Kano model - a case study

This study focuses on the Kano model which is used to categorise the requirements of customers. The study describes the three most frequently used modifications of the Kano model and then systematically analyses the key effects of these modifications. A new approach - Type IV - is then proposed. Using Type IV, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantages identified in the above-mentioned existing approaches - the level of accuracy for the producer and the difficulty of the method for the customer. The proposed approach is based on a modification of the process of requirement categorisation intended to minimise the discrepancy zone between the calculated and the real position of a particular requirement. The Type IV Kano model is then validated by using an example of categorisation of requirements for after-sales services in the car industry. Validation found that the approaches proposed in this study significantly improve the accuracy of requirement categorisation without increasing the difficulty for the customer.