Integrating the Kano Model and QFD for Designing New Products

Abstract Through a case study showing the development of a new mug of draft beer, this work presents a method for integration of the Kano model in Quality Function Deployment – QFD. Traditionally, QFD uses data about importance and customer's satisfaction with different requirements to identify the attributes that should be incorporated or improved in a product. As customers tend to rate basic requirements with high importance, the traditional QFD method tends to give higher priority to these requirements to the detriment of innovative ones. The Kano model allows the identification of exciting requirements, usually associated with innovations. Then, the integration of the Kano model in the QFD can allow innovative requirements to receive the necessary attention in the product's development process. Two methods, proposed in the literature for this integration, are presented and their limitations analyzed. Finally, through data collected with 289 potential consumers of draft beer mugs, the case study illustrates the proposed method.