An attractive extra feature may not compensate for a missing basic expectation. Distinguish the roles of proposed features before spending the development budget on embellishment.
ASQ's Kano material distinguishes types of customer requirements and their relationship to satisfaction. ASQ — kano model.
Use the model as a question
For a hypothetical gift product, ask which requirements people take for granted and which additions might create interest. Treat the categories as hypotheses to investigate, not fixed labels that apply to every audience and market.
Keep the evidence connected
Record the research context and why a feature was assigned a role. An internal team's favourite detail is not automatically a customer delighter. Review changes when the intended use or audience changes.
The useful result is a more balanced priority discussion. The model does not supply a universal feature list or predict that adding one decorative element will improve the commercial performance of a particular plush range.
Source reviewed 25 October 2026. Practical interpretation and original illustrations by PLUSHIP / Qunhe; examples are illustrative.
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