Watch Jan Moorman’s “Measuring User Delight using the Kano Methodology” talk at Interaction’13 | IxDA Conference

With boundaries between market and UX research blurring and Lean UX and Agile worlds coexisting, many UXers are becoming ‘Kano aware’. There is a gap between being Kano aware and the ability to harness its potential to gain insights. That gap is in knowing how to run a Kano study. In a recent engagement, projekt202 was asked to help a client determine how to measure delight. Jan Moorman dusted off the Kano methodology to see what it had to offer, applied rigor and creativity that paid off in riveting insights.

What is the Kano Methodology?

The Kano Model (pronounced “kah-no”) is an approach to prioritizing features on a product roadmap based on the degree to which they are likely to satisfy customers. Product teams can weigh a high-satisfaction feature against its costs to implement, to determine whether or not adding it to the roadmap is a strategically sound decision.

The Kano Model is one of many prioritization frameworks designed to help product teams prioritize initiatives. Kano can help teams determine which features will satisfy and even delight customers. Product managers often use the Kano Model to prioritize potential new features by grouping them into categories. These feature categories can range from those that could disappoint customers, to those likely to satisfy or even delight customers

Attendees will learn why and how this methodology can be harnessed in design strategy decisions. Back in 1984, Noriaki Kano, a Japanese academic, questioned status quo beliefs about attracting and retaining customers. Kano had a different hypothesis. His seminal research study, involving 900 participants, yielded evidence to support his ideas. Kano’s work is essentially a model of 5 different emotional reactions to features/functionality and question pairs used to determine which reaction a user is experiencing. The Kano methodology was initially adopted by operations researchers, who added statistical rigor to the question pair results analysis. Product managers have leveraged aspects of the Kano approach in Quality Function Deployment (QFD). More recently, this methodology has been used by Agile teams and in market research.

Measuring User Delight using the Kano Methodology

About Jan Moorman

As a Principal UX Design Researcher, Jan Moorman works with clients to understand their business goals and product requirements. She is responsible for generating research-based insights to inform and guide design as well as conducting studies to measure and track progress towards achieving established design goals. Jan has worked for technology consulting firms with leading software companies including Nationwide, Intuit, and Travelocity. She has served as business analyst, usability engineer and user interface designer on diverse software applications in the finance, insurance, travel, and utility industries. She has also worked with marketing departments to leverage user-based research to guide product direction. Jan has a Bachelor in Fine Arts and a Masters in Computer Science. A co-author on several publications concerning the visualization of scientific data, she has given workshops and talks on various user-centered techniques including writing scenarios and root cause analysis of usability findings. Her analytical/scientific and creative energy blends with an enthusiasm to generate design insights. As a printmaker, Jan has received grants for large outdoor works and won awards in juried shows. She is passionate about contemporary art and design thinking in general. Currently, Jan is Principal Design Researcher at projekt202 in Austin, TX. She on the faculty of Austin Center for Design.

Recommended Reading

Fessenden, T., (2017), “A Theory of User Delight: Why Usability Is the Foundation for Delightful Experiences” in Nielsen Norman Group, captured 11 Feb 2021 from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/theory-user-delight/

Moorman, J., (2012), “Leveraging the Kano Model for Optimal Results” in UX Magazine, captured 11 Feb 2021 from https://uxmag.com/articles/leveraging-the-kano-model-for-optimal-results

Spool, J., (2013), “Using the Kano Model to Build Delightful UX” in Delight 2013, captured 11 Feb 2021 from https://www.designative.info/2015/07/20/watch-jared-spools-using-the-kano-model-to-build-delightful-ux-talk/

Stull, E., (2018), UX Fundamentals for Non-UX Professionals: User Experience Principles for Managers, Writers, Designers, and Developers, Apress; 1st ed. edition (September 12, 2018)

Source

Jan Moorman: Measuring User Delight using the Kano Methodology.