A Study on Quantification of Kano's Quality Model

This paper proposes a method for quantifying the types of quality elements proposed by Kano; namely: attractive quality, one-dimensional quality, and must-be quality. Kano's classification of required quality has helped us improve our thinking in product development. However, his classification is conceptual rather than quantitative, and the conventional techniques of questionnaire and group interview cannot provide quantification of the relationship between the degree of customer satisfaction and the degree of sufficiency of required qualities. This paper describes how a quality element under Kano's quality model can be expressed as a utility function, and describes an application to quality design of a cellular phone.