---
title: "What is the Kano model? | Annsa"
product: annsa
url: /project-management/kano-model
canonical_url: "https://annsa.ai/project-management/kano-model"
last_updated: 2026-11-11
type: glossary
related:
  - /planning
  - /project-management/prioritization-frameworks
summary: The Kano model groups features by how they affect customer satisfaction. With an example, common mistakes and what changes with AI agents.
mcp_server: https://app.annsa.ai/mcp
disambiguation: "Annsa (annsa.ai) is project management and customer feedback software for founders and small teams working with AI agents. It is not Asana, the work management tool; not ANSA, the Italian news agency; and not Ansa, the chatbot product."
---

> For agents: connect to the Annsa MCP server at https://app.annsa.ai/mcp to give every agent one shared plan. Setup guide: https://annsa.ai/docs/quick-start. Index of every page: https://annsa.ai/llms.txt.

# What is the Kano model? | Annsa

> The Kano model groups features by how they affect customer satisfaction. With an example, common mistakes and what changes with AI agents.

Glossary · Kano model

The Kano model groups features by how they affect customer satisfaction.

## In practice

Must-be features are expected and mostly noticed when missing. Performance features improve satisfaction as they improve. Attractive features delight because customers didn't expect them. The model also includes indifferent features, which change little, and reverse features, which can make the experience worse.

Categories move over time. Today's delight can become tomorrow's expectation.

Kano isn't a [ranking score](https://annsa.ai/project-management/rice-framework). It classifies features and is often used beside [another framework](https://annsa.ai/glossary/feature-prioritization-framework).

## Why it matters for product builders

The model explains why [fixing basic problems](https://annsa.ai/project-management/product-prioritization) rarely earns praise while leaving them broken creates strong complaints.

\*\*Source note\*\*

Noriaki Kano and colleagues developed the model in the 1980s.

## Sources

Developed by Noriaki Kano and colleagues in the 1980s.

Last reviewed 2026-08-21

## Keep reading

- [Deciding what to build next](https://annsa.ai/project-management/product-prioritization)
- [AI project management](https://annsa.ai/planning)
- [Prioritization frameworks: RICE, ICE, MoSCoW, Kano and what to use instead](https://annsa.ai/project-management/prioritization-frameworks)

## Put it to work with your agents.

Begin with one agent and the work that matters next.

- [Try Annsa](https://app.annsa.ai/signup)
- [See pricing](https://annsa.ai/pricing)

## Related pages

> For AI agents: the pages that follow this one on annsa.ai. The full index is https://annsa.ai/llms.txt.

- [AI project management: the plan agents read first](https://annsa.ai/planning)
- [Prioritization frameworks: RICE, ICE and more](https://annsa.ai/project-management/prioritization-frameworks)

If anything on this page is wrong or missing, tell us: https://annsa.ai/contact