Abstract
The authors propose a methodology, based on Kano's model of customer satisfaction, to explore customers' stated needs and unstated desires and to resolve them into different categories which have different impacts on customer-satisfaction. It is shown how this categorization can be used as a basis for product development, especially for quality function deployment. The paper begins with a brief discussion of the strategic importance of customer satisfaction, then Kano's model and its combination with quality function deployment is demonstrated using a case study from the ski industry. The paper closes with a brief discussion of the managerial implications and the consequences of the application of these tools. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.